by Becky

"William's our gran'pa?" Katie whispered. "Papa, Mama said your ma and pa died when you were little."

Red Eagle ate another bite of mashed potatoes disinterestedly and Byron just looked confused. Sully quietly reentering the room, head lowered.

"Far as I know they did, Kates," Sully whispered, caressing her hair.

"Then who's this man? Did he come back from the dead?"

Byron's face paled. "Is he a ghost?"

"Of course not. There's no such thing as ghosts," Elizabeth admonished.

"He's got a different version of what happened," Sully explained. "He claims he took off to look for work, didn't come back until after I moved away."

"Then, he is our gran'pa," Katie replied.

"Oh, we got a gran'pa now?" Byron asked. "I always wanted one. It sounds fun."

"I always wished Mr. Bray could be our gran'pa," Red Eagle whispered.

Elizabeth smiled softly and took hold of his hand. "He can still be like a grandfather to you. Nothing's going to change."

"Oh. Good," Red Eagle replied.

Michaela was surprised but pleased at how calmly the children were taking all of this. She supposed they didn't really understand the implications of it all. After all, Sully had never really shared with them all the tragedies of his childhood, and they had little idea what this all meant for him. They simply knew that Sully's parents as well as Michaela's father had passed away long before they were ever born, and that Elizabeth was their only grandparent still living. They never asked questions about his past, and Sully didn't offer up anything. It was all still very painful for him, and the only way he knew how to cope was to put it out of his mind.

"Well, we still need to talk to William a lot more about everything. There's a lot we don't know yet," Michaela said. "But for now, I'd like us to give him a chance. I'd like us to welcome him into our home just like you welcomed Samantha. Can we do that?"

"Yes, Mama," Katie said.

The boys nodded agreeably.

"Can I have some pie?" Byron spoke up, quickly ready to move on to something else.

Michaela smiled and reached for the pecan pie. "Let's all have some."

Sully put his shirt away silently and then joined Michaela in bed. The baby was fussing a bit and whimpering as Michaela lay on her side and offered her the breast. "What is it, sweet girl?" Sully whispered, stroking her head. "Your diaper rash hurt?"

The baby parted her lips slightly, barely attaching herself to the breast and suckling hard. Michaela grimaced in pain.

"No, sweetheart, you can't latch on like that. You're hurting Mama," she protested. She tickled the baby's cheek vigorously. "Come on, open up your mouth. Open your mouth. Sully."

"Here, why don't ya sit up?" Sully said, grasping Michaela's arm and helping her sit up. Then he laid Eliza in her arms. "There ya go, Eliza. Time to eat."

The change in position irritated the baby further and she fussed and lost all interest in nursing. She cried and wiggled her legs, and Michaela laid her over her shoulder and rubbed her back.

"Sully, she has to nurse before we go to sleep. She hasn't nursed since suppertime."

"Guess she just don't want to. Shh. It's all right, Eliza. It's all right." He rubbed her back soothingly and finally the baby calmed down a little. Michaela however just looked all the more distraught. "Michaela, she won't starve," he said. "It's one feeding."

"I have to keep her on a schedule."

"She's fine. Let's just wait a few minutes, give her a break," he said sensibly. "Then ya can try again."

She reluctantly nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Sully gave her head a soothing kiss and then rubbed her thigh.

"I think it went well," she murmured. "I mean, telling the children about William. They didn't seem upset."

He nodded slightly. "Yeah."

"Would you tell them about your past if they asked?"

"I don't know."

"They're your family, too, Sully. You may not realize it but they could support you in this, too."

"Just don't think they should know she killed herself," he whispered. "Don't want 'em to be burdened with that."

"No, we don't need to tell them about that. At least not until they're much older. But I think they'd like to know how wonderful their grandmother was. How brave she was coming to this country and raising you and your brother by herself. And how brave you were to be on your own at such a young age."

He turned his attention to the baby, clearly not interested in discussing it any more. "Let's see if she'll eat now. Come on, sweet girl."

"When will Eliza be able to eat stuff we eat, Mama?" Red Eagle asked. "I want her to taste some syrup."

Michaela sat at the head of the table with the baby. "Not for awhile. At least several more months."

"It takes forever for babies to grow," Byron said impatiently. "When can I teach her baseball? We need a good catcher."

"She'll be catching baseballs sooner than you think. I promise."

Sully opened the front door and walked toward the table. He was still in an old work shirt and muddy boots.

"You'd better hurry. There's some eggs on the stove for you," Michaela said.

"Wagon's hitched and ready to go." He glanced at the baby, stopping short. "What is that?"

"What's what?" Michaela asked, following his gaze. Eliza was dressed in a frilly white gown and wore matching booties and a bonnet with silk laces.

He raised his eyebrows, taking a seat. "What's the baby wearin'?"

"It's her church clothes," Elizabeth explained. "It's a gown I ordered for her ages ago. What's the problem?"

"It's, uh, lacy." He glanced at Brian with a raise of his eyebrows. Byron giggled and shared a disapproving glance with Red Eagle.

"What? You don't like it?" Michaela asked in surprise. "I think it's beautiful."

He cleared his throat. "She looks like a Boston baby, that's for sure," he said tactfully as he dished up some ham onto his plate.

"Good," Elizabeth replied. "That's the idea."

"She's pretty," Katie remarked, touching her little sister's hand. "I like dressing her in pretty things."

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, that's the only advantage of having all girls. I certainly had my share of fun dressing them up."

Sully took a sip of coffee, glancing at Michaela. "Ya think ya could pack me a sandwich? I'm gonna be out in the north field most of the day."

"North field? What about church?"

"I got things that need to be done around here before I start workin' for Horace tomorrow. I'm real behind."

"Can I stay home from church, too? I want to help Papa," Red Eagle said. He reached up to pull off his tie.

"If Red Eagle gets to stay I can stay, too," Byron added.

"No, Red Eagle's coming with us. Both of you are," Michaela said. "Keep your ties on."

"Aww," Red Eagle muttered.

"Now help clean up," Michaela instructed. "Clear everyone's plates."

The children got up and started clearing the table.

She looked at Sully and lowered her voice. "I know what you're doing. Sully, you can't avoid him forever."

"Look, if you want the kids to get to know him I ain't gonna stop ya. But I don't wanna be involved," he whispered back.

"Sully-"

He abruptly got up. "I'm gonna finish the chores. I'll see ya later, all right? Have a good picnic after church."

"Bye, Papa," Katie called. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," Michaela added plaintively.

Byron raced up to Samantha as the congregation disbanded down the church steps, Red Eagle and Katie behind him.

"Well, did it work? The flowers," Byron said.

"I don't know. Not really," Samantha replied. She eyed her parents in the meadow. Horace was talking to Jake, while Myra was several yards away chuckling over something with Dorothy. They hadn't even sat together in church. Myra sat with Dorothy and Horace sat in the back with Samantha. "I don't think so. They're still not in love."

Katie sighed. "This is harder than I thought."

"Maybe we could talk to our ma and pa. They love each other. They been married since before we were born! They must know a lot about how it all works," Red Eagle said.

"We can't tell them our secret," Byron said resolutely.

"We don't have to tell them," he replied. "We'll just ask about love."

"Yeah," Katie said. "I'll ask my mama. She'll know."

"And we'll ask our pa," Byron said.

Samantha brightened a little. "I hope that helps."

Byron motioned with his hand. "Come on, let's go play before lunch."

William and Myra helped Michaela spread the blanket out on the grass. Then Michaela placed her picnic basket on it and she and Myra began unpacking it. Elizabeth was holding the baby in her wheelchair nearby.

"Children," Michaela called. "Time to eat."

Byron, Katie, Red Eagle and Samantha ceased chasing around in the meadow and joined them.

"Good morning, children," William said shyly. "It's good to see you."

Katie took his hand. "Mama says you're our gran'pa."

He looked down at her emotively. "Yes, wee one. It looks like it."

She gave him a gentle hug and Byron followed suit. Michaela smiled softly at their affection.

"I've always wanted grandchildren," he whispered, crouching down and holding them close.

"Good, now ya have 'em," Byron said.

Red Eagle looked away and took a seat on the corner of the blanket, picking up a plate.

"Will you play with us after lunch?" Byron asked.

He smoothed his hair. "Yes, yes of course I will."

"Goodie. Can we call you Gran'pa?"

He nodded, all the more emotional. "Yes, I suppose you should."

"Good. Thanks, Gran'pa."

Michaela handed William a plate and a roll of silverware. "Here you are," she said, smiling at him softly.

"Thank you," he replied, his eyes welling with tears.

"I just can't believe he's his father," Myra remarked, pressing her hand to her heart. "After all these years?"

"I know, I'm still quite in shock myself," Michaela admitted. They were sitting together on the picnic blanket, the baby in Michaela's lap.

Loren and Elizabeth were walking nearby and William and Horace were playing horseshoes with Samantha, Katie, Byron and Red Eagle in the meadow.

"I'm guessing Sully didn't take the news that well," Myra said.

"He's livid about all this, Myra," she said, shaking her head. "He wants nothing to do with him."

"He won't even talk to him?"

"I've tried. He at least agreed to allow the children to know about all this, to spend time with him. I suppose I should be happy about that."

"Maybe he'll warm up," Myra suggested. "After he gets used to things."

"I hope so," Michaela replied. The baby began fussing and wiggling around. Michaela adjusted her bonnet and lifted her up to kiss her. "Oh, what is it? What's the matter?"

Byron raced over to the blanket, holding William's hand and dragging him along. "Mama, did you see that? Did you see? I got one!"

"Oh, did you?" she replied. "Good!"

"Gran'pa taught me how to throw it. You're supposed to take a real big swing, pull your arm back all the way like this." He threw his arm behind him and tossed an imaginary horseshoe.

"He's got a real knack for it, this one does," William said, caressing his head.

Michaela smiled at him. "Thank you for teaching him, William."

"My pleasure."

Michaela glanced at Byron. "Sweetheart, could you tell everyone it's time to go? Your sister's getting fussy."

"Again!" Byron grumbled. "Come on, Mama."

"Byron, please, just do what I ask."

"She always ruins everything," he muttered, spinning around and trudging back to the horseshoe posts.

"Byron, that's not nice," Michaela called fleetingly.

"Is the wee one all right?" William asked, peering down at her.

Michaela rocked the baby worriedly. "I don't know. I think she's getting too much sun. I just want to take her home."

"Maybe she just needs a feeding," Myra said. "Why don't you head over to the clinic? I'll stay here with everybody."

"No, I really think we should go home," Michaela said insistently. "I'm sorry to cut things short but I think it's best I take her home."

"I'll get the children," William offered. He paused, removing his hat. "Michaela? Thank you."

She smiled up at him softly. "You're welcome, William. We look forward to seeing you again."

"You're back early," Sully remarked as he worked at prying off a rotting fence board with the back of his hammer.

Michaela walked toward him and rested her hands on the other side of the fence. "The baby was fussy. I thought we should go home."

"She all right?"

"I think it's partly her diaper rash. I hated to spoil the children's fun but I just didn't want her in that sun any longer. She's napping now inside."

"How was your picnic?"

"It went very well. William taught the children horseshoes."

He pried off the rest of the board and tossed it aside.

She gazed at him hopefully. "Do you think perhaps you could come back to the house now, spend some time with us? Your new job starts tomorrow and you're going to be very busy for awhile. We might not see very much of you."

"About that job. I'm thinkin' maybe it's a good idea I turn it down."

Her mouth dropped open. "Turn it down? But you've already committed to Horace. He's made you foreman."

"I know that. I just think it ain't such a good idea me workin' for the railroad after all."

"Is this really about the railroad? Or is it about William?"

He sighed and dropped his hammer in his toolbox. "I'm sorry, Michaela. Just don't think I can go in there every day and face him."

"Sully, you're two hard-working men who are going to do a very good job on this project. I don't see why you can't do this for Horace together."

He climbed over the fence to her side and pulled off his work gloves.

"Besides," she went on. "It might be a good opportunity to get to know him."

"I told ya. I don't want to get to know him," he said impatiently.

"Sully, I know the prospect of working with him every day is a little overwhelming. But I think you should at least try it before jumping to any conclusions. If you truly find you just can't work with him, then you could step down."

He sighed. "Reckon we do need the money."

She gently rubbed his arm. "It'll help."

"Guess I don't got a choice here. I need to work. I need this job."

She stepped forward and drew him into a tight hug. "It's going to be all right. We'll sort all this out. It's going to be fine."

He slowly rocked her, pressing her head against his shoulder and closing his eyes.

Elizabeth lifted Eliza out of the tub on the kitchen table and Michaela quickly wrapped her in a warm towel.

"Oh, you're so fresh and clean," Michaela murmured lovingly, touching the baby's nose.

"I can help put her diaper on, Mama," Katie said.

"Oh, thank you, sweetheart. But I think I'm going to let her air out for a little while. Miss Dorothy said that helped when her babies got diaper rash."

"No diaper? But what if she goes? She might go on you, Mama!" Byron said. He and Red Eagle were playing a game of chess at the other end of the table.

Michaela smiled and unfolded a cloth on the table. "We'll put her on this. Just in case."

"Oh, good," he replied as he moved his rook backward.

Elizabeth laid the baby on the cloth and Michaela pressed her finger to the baby's chin. "I think that's Sully's chin, Mother. Do you see that? And her grandfather's."

"I still say she's all you," Elizabeth replied as she folded the towel. "They all look like you."

"Nope. I look like Papa," Byron announced proudly.

Michaela chuckled. "Yes, you do."

"Mama, we were wondering," Katie spoke up as she grasped the baby's hand. "How does it work? When you fall in love?"

She eyed the little girl curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, do you have to just buy gifts when you want somebody to love you? Or something else?"

"Oh. Well, that helps. Your papa gave me little gifts when we were courting."

"Like what?" Red Eagle asked.

"Well, like flowers. Or a turkey for supper."

"A turkey? How positively romantic," Elizabeth remarked dryly.

"What else did he do?" Katie asked.

"Nothing else," Elizabeth spoke up resolutely.

Michaela cleared her throat. "Well, we took walks, we spent time together. We got to know each other better."

"But not too much. You don't want to know the other person too much," Elizabeth added. "Not until you're properly married."

"What your grandmother means is that courting, that's just the first step," Michaela added.

"First step?" Byron echoed. "What's the second step?"

"There is no second step," Elizabeth said. "There's just one step."

"It's rather like baseball. First you go to first base and that's courting," Michaela explained awkwardly.

"Oh. What's second base then?" Byron persisted.

"Second base? Well, second base is, well, it's-"

"Marriage," Elizabeth cut in.

"Baseball?" Red Eagle echoed, hopelessly confused.

Katie wrinkled her brow. "We already know about baseball. We just want to know how do you stay in love?"

"Oh. Well, you have to give each other lots of room," Elizabeth spoke up. "That's how I managed to stay married to your grandfather for forty-five years."

"What do you mean, room?" Red Eagle asked.

"Why are you wondering so much about this anyway?" Michaela asked.

"You said we could ask anything, Mama," Katie replied.

"See, it's all your fault, dear," Elizabeth said.

"So I did say that," Michaela murmured. "Well, let's see. The secret to a good marriage. Well, you….you have to keep the mystery."

"Mystery?" Byron blurted.

Her cheeks warmed. "Yes, you….you have to keep him happy."

"How do you do that?" Katie asked.

"Why don't you ask your father about this? I'm sure he can answer your questions," she blurted. She picked up the baby and headed upstairs.

Byron looked at his sister, heaving a disappointed sigh. "That didn't really help."

"Go ask Papa. Come on, I asked Mama," Katie replied.

Byron slid down from his chair. "Come on, Red Eagle. Let's ask Papa. He'll tell us. And he won't be so confusing."

"Yeah, let's go," he said, following him to the door.

Red Eagle pushed open the barn door and walked inside, Byron following him.

"Papa," Byron called.

"Right here," Sully said. He was pouring some fresh water into a bucket in Flash's stall. "Gettin' late. Ya best head to bed pretty soon."

"Can you tuck us in?" Red Eagle asked. "Tell us a story?"

"A Cheyenne story," Byron added.

"Yeah sure, in a minute all right?"

Byron walked over and clutched a post, looking up at Sully curiously.

Sully eyed him a moment. "Somethin' I can do for ya?" he asked with amusement.

"Papa, can we ask you something? It's about love."

"Love? What about it?"

"Well, how does it happen? What did Mama do so you would love her?"

He smiled softly. "She didn't do anything." He grabbed a rake and began spreading out some fresh hay.

Red Eagle walked over. "What do you mean? She musta done something!"

"Nope. She just fell down in the mud. That's all."

Red Eagle and Byron shared skeptical glances.

"You mean if you want somebody to love you, you gotta fall down in the mud?!" Byron demanded.

Sully chuckled. "No. I just mean it's somethin' that just happens. Not much ya can do to help it along."

"Well, what if you wanted to help it along?" Red Eagle asked.

Sully eyed them a long moment. "There some pretty girl at school you got your eye on? That McGuire girl's kinda pretty."

"Ew! No, not us!" Byron exclaimed.

"No, Papa. It's just a secret," Red Eagle said.

"Papa?" Byron whispered. "Sometimes people stop lovin' each other. Right?"

He kept raking. "Sometimes."

"But not you and Mama," Red Eagle added.

"Nope."

"Well, then what does Mama do to make you stay in love?" Byron demanded.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, why don't ya ask her that?"

"We tried. She won't say," Byron said.

He smiled to himself. "Ya just gotta keep on lettin' her know ya care. That's all. What's this about, this secret of yours?"

"Nothing," Red Eagle said quickly.

He chuckled and put the rake aside, putting his arms around them. "Come on. Time for bed."

"Papa, you ever play horseshoes?" Byron asked.

"Yeah. I played that a lot as a boy."

"How come ya never taught me?"

"I don't know. Never thought of it. I can play with ya if that's what ya want."

"Can we invite Gran'pa over to play, too? He's really good. He taught us."

Sully gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We'll see, all right? Now let's head to bed."

Sully opened the bedroom door. Michaela was nearly asleep, the baby tucked beside her.

"Byron can't stop talkin' about William and those horseshoes," Sully said quietly.

Michaela watched him curiously as he took off his boots. "Are you all right with that?"

"I guess. Byron likes everybody. Wouldn't expect him to feel any different about William."

"I wish you could have been there," she said plaintively. "I invited him for supper tomorrow after work. I was hoping you'll be willing to join us for that."

"I don't know. We'll see."

"Sully, the children are going to start noticing you're never around when he is."

"So let 'em notice."

She sighed as he took off his shirt and shifted back against the pillows, glancing at the baby. "Come here, Eliza. Ya wanna sleep in your crib tonight?"

Before Michaela could protest Sully lifted the baby from the covers and tucked her carefully in her crib near the fireplace. "Night-night. Night, sweet girl."

"Wait, I haven't nursed her yet," Michaela said fleetingly.

He returned to the bed. "You can nurse her when she wakes up." He leaned over her and gave her face a few soft kisses.

"She needs another blanket. She's going to freeze in there," Michaela said.

"She's fine. She's right near the fire. Michaela, don't worry about her."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm trying."

"Try harder," he said wryly. He grasped her arm and kissed the back of her hand, her forearm and then her shoulder. Then he got in bed and gathered her into his arms, kissing her lips.

"Sully," she murmured, pulling back uncomfortably. "I don't think we should just yet." He kept kissing her neck disinterestedly. "Sully, no."

"That's all right. We don't gotta make love you ain't ready yet," he whispered. "I just thought maybe we could kiss a little, hold each other. How's that sound?"

She looked very distraught, but she managed a little nod.

"What's wrong? I thought ya liked to just kiss and hold," he said teasingly.

"You can never just kiss and hold," she murmured. "It always leads to something else."

"I won't let it lead to anything, I promise," he said with a wry grin.

Michaela just looked more upset, and he caressed her cheek.

"Michaela, what is it?"

She glanced at the crib and tried to keep herself together. "Nothing. I'm fine."

He smiled with relief and resumed his kissing and caressing.

"Sully, couldn't we…" Michaela began, pulling back again. "Couldn't we just put the baby back in bed with us? I want her next to me when she wants to nurse."

He suddenly looked a little impatient. "Michaela, we ain't had a moment to ourselves since she was born."

"We can still spend some time with each other," she said fleetingly. "I just want her back in the bed."

It suddenly dawned on him. "You don't wanna leave her in that crib, do ya?"

"It has nothing to do with that," she quickly admonished, getting out of bed and lifting Eliza out of the crib.

"What do ya plan to do? She gonna sleep with us forever?"

"Of course not," she said, getting back in bed and tucking the baby beside her. "Just until she's not nursing at all hours of the night."

"We gotta be careful. She sleeps with us enough she'll never wanna sleep in her crib by herself."

She grasped his shoulder and shifted up, tenderly kissing his cheek and then his lips. "See, we can still do this," she said hopefully.

Sully responded halfheartedly, deepening the kiss ever so slightly. Finally he pulled back. "Michaela, you know how much I love her. But it's hard for me to think about bein' with ya with the baby right here between us. I think she should go in her crib so we can have a little time to ourselves at some point."

She looked down guilty. "All right, I'll put her in there," she said softly. "But not tonight. Give me just a little longer with her. A few more days."

"All right," he replied, giving her forehead a loving kiss.

Sully cradled Eliza against his chest as he and Michaela crossed the railroad tracks in front of the steaming morning train. Passengers were disembarking and luggage was everywhere.

"Be good for your ma," Sully told the baby lovingly. "Papa's gotta work all day today, all right?" He kissed her forehead. "I'll miss ya."

"We'll miss you, too," Michaela murmured. "Have a good first day."

"Big shipment just come in for you, Dr. Mike," Horace called as he sorted through a large pile of boxes stacked on the platform.

"Oh, good. I've been waiting for that," Michaela replied. She crouched down and picked up one of the boxes, then suddenly stumbled and quickly put it back down.

Sully immediately grabbed her arm. "Michaela, you all right? Too heavy?"

"No, I just, I…I was….I was dizzy," she admitted.

"Sit down," he said firmly.

"No, no, I'm all right now," she said dismissively. She smiled wryly. "Perhaps I'm not ready for lifting boxes yet."

"Yeah, sounds like it," he replied, rubbing her arm. "I'll carry the shipment over. You take the baby." He handed Eliza over to her and picked up one of the largest boxes.

"What about work?" she asked.

"Only take a minute," he replied. "Horace, I'll be right back."

"Sure thing, Sully," he replied. "Take your time."

"Want ya to take it easy," Sully remarked quietly as they headed toward the clinic. "Don't do too much your first week back."

"You have no idea how behind I am," she replied with a sigh.

"So you're gonna be behind for awhile. You'll catch up eventually."

"I suppose that's nothing new," she admitted. "I've been behind since I was pregnant with her."

He smiled and paused to look at her pointedly. "No liftin' boxes, ya promise? Ask for help."

"No lifting boxes. I promise," she replied with a smile.

"And no overdoin' it," he added, giving her a soft kiss.

Sully unrolled the blueprints across Horace's desk and secured them with some vials of ink.

"Twelve by fourteen," Kirk said as he stood beside him next to two other workers. "That's a good size."

"We'll lay the foundation these first couple days," Sully explained. "We should get to raisin' the walls by next week."

William appeared in the doorway carrying a toolbox and a lunch satchel. "I'm not late am I?"

Sully glanced at him briefly.

Kirk approached him with a friendly smile. "No you ain't late. You must be William. Kirk Davis."

"Mr. Davis," he said, shaking his hand.

"Just Kirk. Pleased to know ya. And to have ya on the team."

William introduced himself to the other workers as Sully rolled up the blueprints.

"Let's get to work," Sully said.

"Sully, could I talk to you a moment first?" William asked.

"We best get started," Sully said, heading for the door.

"Day's just startin', Sully," Kirk said, picking up a hammer off the desk. "We'll give you two a couple minutes."

Sully eyed Kirk impatiently as the young man quickly walked outside followed by the other workers and shut the door.

William cleared his throat. "Sully, I just want you to know that if you don't want me to work here then that's all right. I'll tell Mr. Bing I can't do it."

Sully tucked the blueprints under his arm. "I ain't gonna stop any man who needs a job from workin'. Provided they work hard."

William dug into his pocket and pulled out a thick letter-sized envelope. "This is for you."

"What is it?" Sully asked skeptically.

"Please open it. Read it."

"I don't got time for this," Sully said, impatiently tucking the blueprints under his other arm. "We got work to do."

"Please, Sully. I was up all night writing it. It's, well, an explanation. My reasons for leaving when you were younger. It explains everything. It's just, my way of apologizing for the kind of father I was."

Sully swallowed hard. "Look, you may be my pa by blood, but I don't see ya as my father and I never will. I don't want your explanations, your apologies."

"Sully-"

"There's nothin' you can ever say to make up for what happened," Sully said firmly. "Now let's get to work." He walked briskly outside.

William sighed and gazed at the envelope. Then he found Sully's toolbox resting on the counter. He tucked the envelope deep inside and followed Sully outside.

Byron pressed his nose to the glass and peered inside at Loren's display of cameos. "There it is. That's the one. It's just like Mama's."

"Oh, my mama would like that," Samantha said.

"Pretty," Katie added.

"Mr. Bray!" Byron called. "Mr. Bray!"

"What is it?" the old storekeeper demanded as he crossed the room carrying a crate of canned goods.

"Can we see that one, Mr. Bray?" Byron asked. "Please?"

"What one? The cameo? What do you want with a cameo?" he asked, putting the crate down.

"Well, see it's for-" Katie began.

Red Eagle gave her a nudge. "Nothing. It's a surprise!"

Katie covered her mouth.

"A surprise, huh," Loren said skeptically, opening the display case and pulling out the exhibit. "Here it is. Just try not to touch it and get it dirty."

"How much is it? The small one?" Byron asked.

"Five dollars."

"Five dollars!" he exclaimed. "We'll never have that much money!"

"Well, five dollars is the price and it's not goin' down anytime soon. Go on with you now. I'm pretty busy today."

"Thanks, Mr. Bray," Red Eagle muttered as the children trudged outside.

"Five dollars!" Samantha breathed, resting against a post. "How we ever going to buy that?" She sniffled. "This is never gonna work. My mama and papa are never gonna love each other again."

"Don't worry," Katie said. "We'll find a way."

"I guess we'll have to start with chores and save every penny," Red Eagle said. "Let's go ask Mama if she has any chores for us."

"Come on, Sam," Katie said encouragingly, taking her hand. "We'll talk to my mama. She'll help."

The children headed over to the clinic and rang the bell.

"Come in," Michaela called.

The children trooped inside on a mission. Michaela looked up from a medical chart at her desk. The baby was asleep right beside her in her bassinet.

"What can I do for you?" she asked with a smile.

"Mama, we want to do some chores," Red Eagle said.

"Chores? You don't have enough chores to do at home?" she asked wryly.

"Well, we want to make some money," Byron explained.

"I know what you meant," she replied. "What are you saving up for?"

"It's a secret," Katie said. "But it's something special."

"Extra special," Byron added.

"Oh, I see. Well, let me give it some thought. Perhaps you could help me clean out my cabinets tomorrow." She wrote something more on the medical chart.

Byron stepped closer to the desk. "Mama, we kind of need chores right now. See, we don't have a lot of time."

"What exactly are you children up to?"

"We can't tell you," Red Eagle said. "Sorry."

She glanced up again. "Oh. Well, I have an idea. Why don't you offer to wash people's windows? You can borrow a bucket and I'll heat up some water for you."

"Good idea!" Byron exclaimed with a smile.

She chuckled and kept writing on the medical chart. "Just let me finish this and I'll get right to it."

Sully drove the wagon up to the homestead and jumped down. He put his toolbox on the porch and then spotted Michaela in the garden. She waved and he headed over to her.

She was vigorously working up some damp soil with her hoe. The baby was sleeping in her pram nearby.

"How was your first day?" she asked. She was wearing a sunhat and gardening gloves, and an old apron. Despite her cheerful smile Sully thought she looked very worn and tired.

He walked down the row and kissed her. "Fine. What're ya doin'?"

"Just trying to salvage my garden after all that flooding we had."

"Thought we were gonna do this together."

"We are. But I wanted to get a head start. I need to get those new tomato seeds in as quickly as possible or they won't bear fruit."

"Don't want ya workin' like this by yourself. Ya should ask Brian for help if I'm at work."

"Sully," she protested. "I'm fine. Besides, Brian doesn't have time to help out very much around here anymore. He's busy with his own homestead."

He walked toward the pram and lifted out the baby, cradling her lovingly in his arms.

"Sully, don't wake her up," she protested with a soft smile.

"I won't," he whispered, lowering his head and kissing her little nose. "Hey, sweet girl."

"How was William?" she asked as she stepped down the row and hoed all the more vigorously.

He glanced up. "What do ya mean?"

"Well, what was it like working with him? Did you talk?"

"Didn't see much of anybody. Everybody was hard at work on what they were supposed to do. We got a good team."

"What about at lunch? You didn't talk then?"

"I didn't take a lunch break," he said with a shrug.

"Sully, you have to eat!"

"I ate. I ate on the way over to the mercantile to pick up some tools we needed."

She shook her head in disapproval and squatted down to pull up some weeds.

"Michaela, what do ya want?" he suddenly asked. "Ain't exactly the place to have any long talks with him even if I wanted to."

She glanced up, swallowing. "I suppose you're right."

He softened a little and stepped toward her. "Let's not talk about work. I just wanna wash up and spend some time with you and the kids right now. Why don't ya come inside?"

"All right," she murmured, quickly standing up. She suddenly stumbled and Sully reacted immediately, grabbing her arm.

"Easy. Michaela, what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath to rejuvenate herself. "It's just a little warm out here. I think I'd better get out of the sun and get something cool to drink."

He put his arm around her worriedly. "How's that bleedin' you been havin'? It ain't gettin' worse, is it?"

She shook her head. "No, it's the same."

He nodded. "All right. Come on, let's get ya inside."

She gave Eliza a kiss. "And she needs a feeding, too."

"Hey, how was your day?" he asked.

"Fine. The baby slept all afternoon."

He stopped and drew Michaela very close to him, giving her forehead a gentle kiss.

"Sully? What is it?" she asked.

"Nothin'. Just glad to be home," he murmured.

"Me, too," she replied, rubbing his arm.

Sully nudged Byron's arm, rousing him from a light sleep. "Byron? It's your turn. Ya fell asleep."

Byron straightened in the wingback chair and rubbed his eyes, studying the checkerboard again.

Michaela entered the room with the baby and pressed her hand to the little boy's forehead as he moved a checker forward. "You don't feel ill, do you, sweetheart? You look exhausted."

"No. I just have sore arms."

"Me, too," Red Eagle said from his seat in front of the fire with a book. "I never knew the church had so many windows." Katie sat beside him tiredly with her own book.

"Oh, you washed the Reverend's windows, too?" Michaela asked.

"My goodness you've been busy today," Elizabeth remarked from the other chair.

"Your turn again, son," Sully said.

He yawned. "I'm too tired to finish, Papa. Can we go to bed?"

"Yeah, I just want to sleep," Katie added.

"Sure. Head upstairs, we'll come tuck ya in."

"Night, Gran'ma," Katie said as she hugged Elizabeth.

"Goodnight, dear," Elizabeth said.

The boys hugged Elizabeth and then they all trudged upstairs.

"What's gotten into them?" Elizabeth asked curiously. "That's the first time they've ever asked to go to bed."

"I don't know what they're up to. They've been doing chores all over town," Michaela said. "All they told me is they're saving for something special."

"I wonder what it could be," Elizabeth replied.

"They didn't say anything to you, did they, Sully?" Michaela asked.

"Hm? No, they didn't."

"Perhaps I could ask around. Perhaps Loren or someone else knows what they're doing."

"Don't go pryin'. Just let 'em have their secret," Sully said wryly.

"I wasn't going to pry," she protested. "I was just going to ask around."

"It's a secret for a reason, Michaela."

"Well, I don't like secrets," she said impatiently.

"I'm not very fond of them myself," Elizabeth added.

Sully chuckled and held out his hand to Michaela. "Let's go tuck 'em in."

"If they're not asleep already," she replied with a smile.

Michaela finished wrapping up a thick ham sandwich in brown paper and then placed it in Sully's lunch satchel. Then she found his canteen and uncorked it, filling it up to the brim from the pump. The baby was awake and kicking her legs in her basket on the table, watching Michaela make everyone's lunches and go about her morning routine. Michaela paused and walked to her, leaning down and kissing her tiny cheeks.

"I love you. I love you, my baby girl," she said, smiling and smoothing her hair.

"Mama, could I have strawberries in my lunch?" Byron called, scurrying into the kitchen with Katie and Red Eagle. "The ones we picked?"

"I think that could be arranged," she replied, returning to the counter. "I don't have any eggs yet. You need to start your chores please."

Katie grabbed the egg basket off the kitchen table and the three of them ran outside, colliding into Sully as he carried the milk bucket up the porch steps.

"Careful," he said, laughing and tossing Byron's hair.

Michaela carried Sully's lunch satchel and canteen to his tool box resting on the dining room table as Sully came inside and shut the door.

"Mornin'," he said, pausing and giving her a kiss.

"Morning," she replied.

"Cow ain't givin' very much milk these days," he remarked, heading to the kitchen and placing the bucket on the counter. "May be time she has another calf."

"Oh, you think so?" She tucked his lunch satchel in his toolbox and then paused as she spotted an envelope on the bottom of the toolbox. She took it out curiously. It wasn't sealed, and she removed the pages inside and opened them up. It was a lengthy letter with the salutation, "To my son, Byron Sully."

Sully pumped some water into his hands and washed his face and neck. "Been a year since her last calf. Kirk says Mr. Avery's got a couple good bulls he's willin' to breed for a fair price. I could go out there and talk to him."

"Sully, what's this?" she called.

"What's what?" He dried himself off with a hand towel.

She walked into the kitchen. "This letter. Did William write you a letter?"

He stopped short. "Where'd you find that?"

"In your toolbox. Is this from William?"

He grabbed it from her. "Don't be openin' my private things. I told ya to stay out of this."

She swallowed hard, chastened. "I'm sorry."

He paused and put the letter on the table. "I'm sorry, Michaela."

She gently rubbed his arm. "When did he give it to you? Yesterday?"

"Yeah."

"What does it say?"

"I ain't read it."

"You haven't read it? Why on earth not?"

"He says it's some kind of apology. Well, I don't got any interest in what he's got to say, that's all," he replied, walking to the basket and reaching his hand in to rub Eliza's belly. "Hey, baby girl. How ya doin' this mornin'?"

"Don't you think you at least owe him an opportunity to explain?"

"I don't owe that man a thing," he retorted.

She slowly picked up the letter again. "Sully, it looks to me like he's pouring his heart out on these pages. I think we should at least read it."

"I told him and I'm tellin' you, there's nothin' he can say."

The children opened the front door and quietly walked inside with the basket of eggs. They stood unnoticed while their parents quarreled.

"If you don't want to read it could I?" she asked.

He took the letter from her again. "No."

"Why?"

"Because. Because I don't want you to."

"But why?" she demanded.

He sighed. "Michaela, knowin' you it's gonna get ya all worked up, drag this out longer than it has to. No, just forget he ever wrote it. None of your business in the first place."

"I didn't realize my husband and what he's going through were none of my business," she replied tearfully. "My apologies."

He sighed deeply and folded his arms, turning away from her.

"I think you should read it, Sully. For both your sakes," she whispered.

He walked briskly to the kitchen stove and opened the damper. Then he tossed the letter inside, slamming the damper shut after it. "I'll hitch the wagon," he muttered. He walked toward the door and suddenly noticed the children watching him curiously. He gave Katie's shoulder a gentle squeeze and then headed outside.

Loren opened the door to the Gazette, holding up the newspaper. "Dorothy, what's this all about?"

Dorothy looked up from her desk where she was composing a letter. "It's the Gazette."

"I know that. But could the headline be any bigger?" He pointed to the banner headline across the front page that read, Banker Makes First Telephone Call in Colorado Springs.

"It's a big story, Loren," she said, turning back to her letter. "Of course I put a big headline on it."

He tucked the paper under his arm. "Well, just so you know Bell Telephone Company is coming out here on Thursday to install my telephone in the mercantile."

"Your telephone? I thought you hated telephones. You said the mercantile's never going to get one."

"Changed my mind. Let everybody know to be at my place at four o'clock for the first call I make. And be sure you're there early. No telling how big the crowd's gonna be."

She chuckled. "Loren, that's not news."

"What? Of course it is!"

"Colorado Springs already has telephones. It's not a novelty anymore. I'm afraid you're a little late."

"You mean you're not even going to come?!" he exclaimed.

She sighed. "Well, I s'pose I could show up and write a little something. Or maybe send Brian over to do it. But I don't know about the front page. We'll see what other news is happening next week."

He heaved a sigh. "Story of my life. I'm always old news."

"Oh, Loren. It's just a telephone. Besides, there's a lot more important things going on right now."

"Like what?" he demanded.

"Didn't you hear? That friend of Myra's that she brought to town, William? Michaela says he's Sully's father."

"Oh, I heard that. Sounds like a senile old man to me."

"I don't think so. Michaela says he's telling the truth."

He put his hands in his pockets, nodding solemnly. "Well, at least he has a chance to know his father now. The children can have a grandfather." He bowed his head.

"I s'pose that's true. I just can't imagine what Sully must be feeling."

"Well, it's none of our business."

"We could let them know we support them. That we're here if they need anything."

"I s'pose. I better get back to the store. I gotta clear out a space for the telephone."

"Good day, Loren."

"See you Tuesday," he replied.

"Afternoon, Dr. Mike," Kirk called as he pounded a nail into a board.

"You didn't take your lunch break yet, did you?" she called back as she crossed the railroad tracks and walked up onto the telegraph office porch where the workers were gathered.

"No, we're just about to. Sully's just talkin' to Horace about somethin'."

She approached William, who was drinking from his canteen. "William, I thought you'd like to join us for supper tonight," she said.

He hesitated. "Michaela, I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"The children would love to see you. They want to see their grandfather. Please join us?"

He peeked into the sling and gently rubbed the baby's hand. "Is that right? Well, all right. I suppose I could. Thank you."

"Let me see this sweet pea," Kirk said, putting his hammer aside and walking to Michaela. "Hey, Eliza. It's your Uncle Kirk. She's gettin' prettier every day, Dr. Mike." He reached into the sling and lifted Eliza out.

Michaela watched him with a furrowed brow as he rocked her in his broad, tan arms. She had really started to dread when other people held the baby. And it seemed like everyone wanted to, even sometimes townsfolk she barely knew. Aside from family, namely her mother and Sully, she found she just didn't trust anyone with the baby. It always made her nearly sick with worry when she was separated from her. She was well aware it was irrational. No one was going to hurt her, and certainly not their close friend Kirk. He had his own little girl at home and was perfectly capable of holding a newborn safely and securely. But she just couldn't seem to help it. She stood as close as she could to Kirk and kept her eyes on the infant the entire time.

She lasted about a minute before she couldn’t stand it any longer. "I need to talk to Sully. Come here, sweetheart." She reached for the baby and settled her back in the sling. Then she quickly headed into the telegraph office where Sully and Horace were writing down some figures on a tablet.

Sully glanced at her and gave her a small smile as he finished adding the figures.

"Looks good, Sully. I'll see to it the railroad gets those numbers," Horace said, walking to his telegraph.

"Something wrong?" Sully asked, joining Michaela and rubbing her back.

"No. I just wanted to see you," she said shyly. "Can you come over to the clinic for your lunch break?"

"Yeah. Sure," he replied, leading her outside. "We'll take half an hour for lunch," he told his workers.

The men stopped what they were doing and headed for their lunch satchels and canteens as Sully picked up his own satchel and walked with Michaela toward her clinic.

"How's your day goin'? How's the baby?" he asked.

"Just fine. I have a full schedule of appointments this afternoon. I was hoping you could pick up the children from school," she said.

"Ya ain't overdoin' it, are ya? Maybe we should hold off on all these appointments."

"No, I'm not overdoing it," she replied. "I feel fine."

He gently put his hand on her back as they stepped up onto her porch. "Michaela, listen. I owe ya an apology. I'm sorry about this mornin'. About the way I acted when ya showed me that letter."

She paused, gently cradling the baby under one arm. "You were taken off guard. It's understandable."

"I'm angry at him, not you. I had no cause to take it out on you."

"You don't have to be angry, Sully," she replied. "It doesn't have to be this way." She paused, dreading what she needed to tell him. "I invited him for supper again," she said quietly.

His brow wrinkled ever so slightly. "You didn't tell me you were gonna do that."

"You said he could get to know the children. I thought now would be a good opportunity to start."

He opened the door and guided her inside. "All right. If that's what you want."

"I was hoping it would be something you would want, too," she murmured. "That you might start getting to know him, too."

"As my pa? You know how I feel about that."

"No, not yet," she replied. "I know you're not ready for that. But as a person first."

He nodded noncommittally and took a seat atop her desk, silently unpacking his lunch.

Michaela placed a platter of roast beef on the table as Elizabeth, Brian and the children took a seat.

"Sit next to me, Gran'pa," Byron instructed, holding the old man's hand and dragging him down to the chair beside him.

"Let's join hands," Michaela said, holding her hands out to William and Red Eagle. "Katie, will you say grace for us?"

Katie took Elizabeth and Brian's hands and bowed her head. "Lord, thank you for this good food and for keeping everybody safe and for all your blessings. And thank you for sending William to us, so we can have a gran'pa now. Amen."

Michaela glanced at William and gave him a soft smile. "Amen."

"Amen," he echoed.

"Pa workin' late tonight?" Brian spoke up quietly as he dished up some mashed potatoes onto his plate.

Michaela glanced at the empty spot at one end of the table. Sully hadn't shown up for supper, not that she was that shocked. The younger children hadn't seemed to make the connection yet, but Brian had certainly noticed.

"He's still in town," she said quietly. "He's busy with this new project for Horace. Being foreman comes with a lot of responsibilities."

"Papa works hard," Byron remarked.

"Tell us some more about England, William," Elizabeth said. "You know, my husband's side of the family can be traced back to nobility in Ireland."

"Mother," Michaela scolded. "That was centuries ago."

"So? You don't happen to know any Quinns, do you?" Elizabeth went on.

He chuckled. "No, not that I remember. I wasn't a noble by any means. I was just a farmer. I grew up in Hampshire, in a small town called Liphook."

"Liphook. I like that name," Byron said, taking a sip of milk.

"Is that where you met Sully's mother?" Elizabeth asked.

"Katherine?" he murmured. "Yes. She was from outside London. Her father bought the property next to ours when she was sixteen and I was seventeen. We were married six months later."

Elizabeth cut her roast. "Oh, quite young to be getting married."

"Yes it was," he admitted.

"See, Ma? You think I'm young," Brian said with a smile.

"You are young," she replied.

"Almost twenty," he said. "Gran'pa was a lot younger than that when he was married."

"I'm just glad you put it off at least a few more months," Michaela said. "The longer the better."

"Your mother's right, son," William spoke up. "Katherine and I rushed into it. It probably would have been better had we waited."

"You sayin' you regret it?" Brian asked, swallowing hard.

"No, no. Never," he replied. "But at seventeen, I knew nothing of the ways of the world. I was such a dreamer back then. I didn't understand the responsibilities I would have, how difficult it would be. Had I been a little older, perhaps….perhaps I would have done better by them. I just had stars in my eyes."

"That’s what he has," Michaela said, glancing at Brian. "Stars in his eyes."

"Ma," Brian protested.

William chuckled. "Don't worry, son. Just get everything in order before you marry, that's my only advice."

"Yes, sir. I will."

"Did you and Sully marry young as well, Michaela?" William asked curiously.

"Heavens no," Elizabeth exclaimed. "Michaela was practically an old spinster."

Michaela glanced at her. "Mother. No I wasn't."

"I about fainted dead away when I heard you were finally engaged," she replied. "After more than fifteen years of trying to find you a compatible suitor to no avail. I was convinced something was wrong with you."

The children giggled and William chuckled softly.

"Nothing was wrong with me. I was just very busy with medical school and trying to start a practice," Michaela explained defensively. "Marriage was the last thing on my mind for awhile."

"Oh, I see," William replied.

"She was toying with disaster if you ask me, putting it off like that," Elizabeth remarked disapprovingly. "I thought I was never going to be a grandmother again."

"Mother, really," Michaela said.

"Mama was just waiting to find Papa," Katie said sweetly. "She hadn't found him yet."

Michaela smiled at her. "Yes, precisely. I moved to Colorado ten years ago and met Sully. We married about two years later."

"And I finally got to be a grandmother again," Elizabeth said. "Thank goodness."

He smiled at Red Eagle kindly. "And this handsome one? I understand you adopted him not long ago."

Michaela glanced at Red Eagle and patted his arm. "Yes, last summer."

Red Eagle stared at his plate and quietly ate his supper.

"Katherine loved children," William said whimsically. "She talked of adopting, too. Helping some of the poor orphans in the city. As soon as we could afford it."

"Really?" Michaela murmured. "That was generous of her."

"I have a feeling you two would have gotten along splendidly," he murmured. He glanced at Red Eagle. "Did you like Montana? I hear they have very good fishing up there."

Red Eagle glanced up at him, shrugging.

"Tell William about the fly fishing there, Red Eagle," Michaela said. "Everyone fishes with flies and catches great big salmon. Red Eagle and his mother caught a fish half his size once, right sweetheart?"

He shrugged again.

Michaela glanced at William helplessly. "He's shy," she murmured.

He smiled understandingly. "That's all right. I'm shy, too."

"Good supper, Ma," Brian spoke up helpfully.

"Yes, brilliant," William remarked.

Byron giggled. "Brilliant!"

"Thank you," Michaela said with a chuckle.

Michaela found William outside on the porch finishing his coffee. She walked to his side, carrying Eliza over her shoulder.

"Beautiful sunset," she remarked.

"Yes."

"I'm so glad you could join us tonight, William," she replied. "I hope you enjoyed it."

"Oh, yes, of course. I very much like your mother. She's very…."

"Outspoken?" she said with a grin.

"No, I wasn't going to say that," he replied with a chuckle. "I was going to say spry."

She shook her head. "Yes, that's Mother."

"It must be nice to have her so close by. And I'm sure she appreciates your help."

"Yes, it's actually worked out quite well," she said. "Sully built her her own room off the back part of the house so she has her own space when she needs it. And she's so helpful with the children. I can really depend on her."

She took a seat on the bench and William followed her, gazing at the baby.

"Eliza. Would that be after your mother?"

Michaela smiled at the baby and rubbed her back. "Yes. I thought it was appropriate."

"Katie especially is so excited about this wee one. I think she is quite happy to have a sister."

"Yes, she is," Michaela said with a chuckle. "A boy would have been fine, too. But I must admit I was really hoping for a girl this time myself." She shifted the baby to her other shoulder. "Though sometimes I worry about the age difference. She's seven years younger than her closest sibling. I don't want her feeling lonely."

"Yes, quite a big difference there," he remarked.

She took a brave breath and her lip quivered ever so slightly. "William, I thought you'd want to know. Sully and I….we had another son before her. Jack."

"Jack?" he murmured, looking into her eyes.

"He…" She suddenly choked up. "He didn't make it. He passed away shortly after his first birthday. From crib death."

"Oh, Michaela," he said breathlessly. "Oh, how terrible. I'm so sorry."

"It's been difficult. On both of us," she said.

"Is that why you're so protective of her?"

"Protective?"

"Well, I've just noticed you don't seem to want the baby to leave your side."

She kept rubbing Eliza's back. "I don't know. I suppose perhaps." She shrugged ever so slightly. "I do like her to sleep with us. But I think Sully's getting a little impatient with me."

"Ah. Katherine preferred the boys sleep with us when they were small."

"Oh, really? Were you impatient about that?"

"I can't remember. I think I was a little. Sometimes," he admitted.

"I suppose it just makes me feel better. I can rest easier when I can feel her breathing next to me. Maybe it's silly."

"You lost your son. Nothing silly about that. You should take your time." He patted her hand. "Horrible things happen sometimes. Things that don't make any sense at all. But we must give ourselves a second chance. I don't know where I would be without a second chance. I have to believe we're all entitled to that."

"Yes," she whispered. "I believe so, too."

He stood. "I should head back. Thank you for everything."

"Thank you, William," she replied.

He kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Michaela."

"I don't like when Papa works late," Byron said as he cuddled up in his bed with Michaela and clutched his stuffed puppy.

"I know. None of us do. But this is an important job working for Mr. Bing and he may be home late a few times. I'll just have to you give you extra kisses for him." She smoothed his hair and kissed his cheek, then held him all the closer. "Mm, I love snuggling with my boys. I look forward to this all day."

"How 'bout this book, Mama?" Red Eagle said as he climbed into Byron's bed clutching a storybook.

Michaela shifted up and smiled. "Oh, The Silver Skates. I like this story."

The boys cuddled up with her and opened the book.

"'On a bright December morning long ago," Michaela began, "two thinly clad children were kneeling upon the bank of a frozen canal in Holland. The sun had not yet appeared, but the gray sky was parted near the horizon, and its edges shone crimson with the coming day.'"

The baby cried softly from downstairs where Elizabeth and Brian were watching her. Michaela paused a moment to listen.

"Mama?" Byron said. "Come on, read. You didn't get to the good part yet."

She tried to focus on the book and not worry about the baby and why she was crying. "'Most of the good Hollanders were enjoying a placid morning nap. Even Mynheer von Stoppelnoze, that worthy old Dutchman, was still slumbering in beautiful repose.'"

"Stoppelnoze!" Byron cried with a giggle and Red Eagle laughed.

The baby's crying grew louder and Michaela stopped reading again to look toward the door.

"Michaela," Elizabeth called.

"Oh, dear. I'm going to have to go see what's wrong with your sister," she said, closing the book and getting out of bed. "I'm sorry."

"Wait. But we didn't finish the story," Byron protested.

"It's past your bedtime anyway. School in the morning and you have a spelling test, don't you? Red Eagle, get in your bed." She kissed his head. "Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you, too, Mama," he said, obediently climbing into his own twin bed.

Michaela cupped Byron's cheeks and kissed him. "I love you. Goodnight."

Byron just crossed his arms and stared forward.

Michaela paused a moment. "Byron? I love you," she said again. She glanced at him a little disconcerted and then blew out their lamp and left the room.

Byron scowled and threw the book on the floor.

"Hey! Byron, don't throw books," Red Eagle scolded.

"Stupid baby," he muttered, punching his pillow and lying down.

"She's hungry I bet. She always is," Red Eagle said. "Don't worry."

Byron heaved a sigh and turned his back to Red Eagle, not replying.

It was about nine o'clock when Sully finally came home. Michaela was just finishing nursing the baby and was rocking her to sleep in the rocking chair. He opened the bedroom door quietly and walked into the room.

"Everything all right?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he whispered, pulling off his shirt. "How was supper?"

"It was very nice. We missed you."

"Kids asleep?"

"Yes, everyone's in bed. Sully, William said your mother was from outside London. And that they married when she was about sixteen. Did you know that?"

"Guess I figured she musta been pretty young," he said, walking to the basin and pouring some water inside.

"It sounds to me like they were no more than eighteen or nineteen when you were born. That's so young to be leaving everything and getting on a ship to America all by themselves. And your mother with child."

"My ma was a brave woman. She always was."

She rocked the baby some more and looked down at her. "I told him about Jack. About losing him."

"Ya did?"

"I don't know. I wanted to tell him. I thought he should know about his grandson."

He strolled to the rocking chair and lifted Eliza into his arms. "Ya ready to try sleepin' in your crib tonight, sweet girl? What do ya say?"

"The question is, am I ready?" Michaela said softly, stroking the baby's head and kissing her cheek.

"Don't worry, we'll see plenty of her tonight. She'll be wantin' to nurse at two o'clock in the morning if I know her."

"Yes, you're right." She kissed the baby again. "Night-night, sweetheart. Night-night."

Sully lowered her into the crib and covered her up warmly. "Sleep well, Eliza."

He turned to Michaela and grasped her hand, leading her to the bed. She took off her bathrobe and laid it at the end of the bed, then cuddled up in bed with Sully, snuggling against his warm chest and kissing him goodnight.

"I finally got ya to myself," he said wryly. "This is better."

She smiled fleetingly and tucked her head beneath his neck. She heaved a soft sigh, gently stroking his chest with her fingers for a long moment. "Sully? Are you awake?"

"Hm? Yeah. What's wrong?"

"Byron wouldn't say I love you tonight."

"What do ya mean?"

"When I said goodnight to him. He wouldn't tell me he loved me. He always tells me that. We never go to bed without saying that to each other." She couldn't suppress the hurt in her voice.

He gently stroked her hair. He knew how close Michaela was with their children and especially their youngest son, and how important it was to her to maintain that closeness. He could tell how taken aback she was by Byron's cavalierness.

"He's growin' up. Maybe feelin' like he don't always wanna say that."

"Do you think he's angry with me? I've been awfully busy with the new baby."

"Maybe. A little. Havin' a baby takes time for everybody in the family to adjust."

"I suppose."

He squeezed her arm. "Michaela, don't worry about it. He still loves his ma, even if he don't say it."

"I know. I just…I like hearing it. I suppose a mother never can hear it enough."

He smiled and held her closer. "Or a wife either. I love you."

She smiled up at him, then closed her eyes and tried to relax and fall asleep.

Sully awoke not long after Michaela got up. He shifted up a little and looked around the room, finding her beside the crib, leaning over it and peering down inside as she rubbed the baby's belly worriedly. He slowly got up and walked toward Michaela, touching her back.

"What's wrong?" He glanced in the crib. The baby was sleeping peacefully, her arms strewn above her head.

"She just looks so small and lonely in there," she replied. "I feel like we've abandoned her."

"Michaela, she's fine. She's right close by. Come on, we gotta get some sleep. Got work in the mornin'."

She glanced at him guiltily. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink, and she knew she was keeping him awake with her restlessness. She decided she would at least try to go back to bed for his sake, so he could get some rest. She nodded and they walked back to the bed. She took off her bathrobe and put it aside, then climbed in with him.

He covered them up warmly and he drew her into his arms, kissing her head and closing his eyes with a tired sigh.

Michaela couldn't shut her eyes. She kept listening for sounds from the baby. They were all so reassuring, from the way she smacked her lips as she slept, to the little grunts and coos she would make, to her heavy breathing.

"Michaela, go to sleep," Sully murmured at last, stroking her back.

"What time is it?"

He sighed. "I don't know. Late."

She shifted around and peered at the clock on the mantel. "Two o'clock. She needs another feeding. I should feed her."

"She just had one. She'll wake up when she wants another."

"No, I need to keep her on a schedule." She sat up and he grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Michaela, ya gotta relax," he said firmly. "You're gonna make yourself crazy watchin' her every second."

"I can't help it," she replied, suddenly falling into tears. They slipped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Sully. I'm sorry."

Taken aback, he rubbed her arm. "Oh. Shh. Shh. It's all right."

"I want to be able to just let her sleep in there and not worry about her. But I can't do it. I know you and I can't have a healthy relationship with the baby in bed with us. You're right, we need time to ourselves. But I just have to feel her next to me, I have to feel her breathing. I can't sleep a wink with her in there."

He stroked her hair, desperate for her to feel better.

"Sully, please," she begged. "Just a little longer. Please, I need her next to me. I don't know what's wrong with me. I just can't leave her alone in there. I can't leave her. Sully, I left our son alone in that crib thinking he was safe and the next thing I knew he was dead."

"Michaela, that ain't gonna happen again," he said. "That don't happen very often, ya said so yourself."

"What if it does?" she whispered tearfully.

He kissed her head and then got out of bed, reaching into the crib. He lifted the baby out, careful not to wake her, and returned to the bed.

"Lie back," he whispered.

Michaela shifted down and leaned against her pillows and Sully tucked the baby alongside her chest. Michaela let out a big sigh of relief and held the baby close. Sully got back in bed and ran his fingers tenderly down the baby's back.

"I'm sorry, Sully," Michaela murmured.

He caressed her cheek. "It's all right. Maybe we just took this too quick is all. Maybe we need to ease into it a little slower."

"Yes," she replied, suddenly feeling extremely tired. She closed her eyes a moment, thoroughly drained.

"Get some sleep. We'll talk about it later," he whispered, giving her forehead a soft kiss.

Michaela climbed down from the wagon and hugged the children. "Have a good day at school. Good luck on your spelling test."

"Bye, Mama," Katie called as the three of them raced off toward the schoolhouse.

Michaela unlocked the clinic and Sully followed her inside with the baby. She hung up her jacket and then took the baby from him, kissing her cheek.

"Want me to come by for lunch again, eat with ya here?" Sully asked.

"Certainly. How's noon?"

"Sounds good."

She walked to her scale and unwrapped the baby from her blanket. "I think I'll weigh her again this morning."

"Michaela, ya weigh her every day."

"No, I don't. Not every day." She smiled wryly and laid the baby in the weighing tray. "Every other day perhaps." Her smile faded. "Six pounds, one ounce? Sully, she's lost three ounces." She spun around to glance at him.

He approached her side. "She couldn't of. Ya sure?"

"See for yourself."

He glanced at the needle. "Maybe your scale's wrong."

"No, it can't be." Michaela lifted the baby out of the tray and held her close, trying to stay calm. "Well, sometimes infants actually lose a little weight during the first week or so of life. It's normal. I'm sure that's what it is."

He stroked the baby's head. "Yeah. Sounds like it. She'll be fine."

Brian hoisted up a small rock as he worked on the base of the chimney of his new house. He spotted Sarah walking toward him carrying her basket.

"Hey," he called.

"Hey," she called back, scurrying over to him.

"I can't hug ya. I'm all covered in mortar and dust," he said with a chuckle.

She climbed over the base of the house and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. "You'd better not try. You missed lunch. I thought you were comin' to my place for my ma's fried chicken."

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I just got caught up workin' on the chimney, lost track of time."

"That's all right. I brought you the leftovers. How's that sound?"

"Sounds great," he replied. He picked up a trowel and used it to push in some mortar in between the cracks of the rocks.

She carried her basket over to a makeshift table Brian had made with a slap of plywood resting across two sawhorses. "All the weddin' invitations are in the mail. Mama and I were up until midnight last night finishing them."

"How many we end up sendin' out?"

"Twenty-five," she replied. "I know it's more than we planned on, but I keep thinking of people we forgot."

"Twenty-five's all right," he replied. "It'll still be a small weddin' just like we wanted."

She took out a plate, a napkin and silverware.

He dried his hands off on a rag. "Oh, Sarah? I wrote a letter to Ethan the other day. My real pa."

She eyed him curiously for a moment as he picked up his canteen and uncorked it.

"I wanted to invite him and his wife Lillian to the weddin'," he added, taking a swig from his canteen. "So make the guest list twenty-seven."

She didn't reply as she laid a fork and knife atop the napkin.

"Why ya bein' so quiet?" he asked, wiping his mouth. "Somethin' wrong with that?"

"You sure that was a good idea?" she murmured. "Writin' him?"

He shrugged. "He's my real pa. Thought he should know I’m gettin' married, that I want him there."

"Oh, Brian, you really want him at the weddin'? After everything he's done to you?"

He averted his eyes. "That was a long time ago."

She stepped toward him. "He hurts you Brian. He's never stopped."

"You don't know Ethan at all," he said firmly. "You never even met him."

"Well, I heard enough about him to know. I don't want him ruining your wedding day."

"He ain't gonna ruin it, Sarah," he said impatiently. "He's my real pa. He's got a right to be here."

"Why do you insist on keeping ties with him, drawing it out? Don’t you think it's time you moved on? Matthew and Colleen don't talk to him, do they?"

"Don't make it right," he murmured, walking toward her. "He's still our father."

"Oh, Brian. You're the kindest, most forgiving person I ever met. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you. But in this case I think you're only hurting yourself."

"Sarah-"

"Brian, you've tried and tried with that man! And every time he's let you down! He's….he's awful to you! Why can't you see that?"

"You don't know what you're talkin' about, Sarah, all right?" he replied impatiently. "Just, let this be between me and my pa. Let me take care of it."

"Thought Sully was your pa," she whispered.

"I said leave this to me," he replied.

She turned around and tearfully finished unpacking the rest of the basket.

Sighing, Brian came up behind her and tenderly rubbed her back. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He gave her head a soft kiss. "I just, I gotta try one more time. I just wanna give him one more chance."

She wiped away her tears and spun around. "Have a seat. Go on and eat."

"Look at my spelling test, Mama!" Red Eagle cried as he raced down the school steps. Michaela took the paper from him and smiled.

"All correct," she said proudly, hugging him. "A plus!"

He reached into her sling and grabbed the baby's hand. "Hey, Eliza. Wake up and see my spelling test." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I miss you when I'm at school."

Michaela smiled and held him close. She was so thrilled that at least Katie and Red Eagle had easily welcomed the new baby into their lives. For the most part they had been very patient about how much time and energy Eliza required of her very tired parents. It was taking Byron longer to adjust, but she had faith that eventually he would come around. "I think she misses you, too."

Katie and Byron came out of the schoolhouse with their books and lunch pails.

"Hey, Mama," Byron called, jogging down the steps.

"And how did you two do on your spelling tests?" she asked, grabbing Katie's hand and heading back toward town.

"A plus," Katie said.

"Byron? How did you do?" she prompted.

He shrugged. "I messed up. I forgot how to spell some of them."

"Could I see it?" she asked quietly.

He handed her his paper. Michaela quickly scanned it. He had missed almost half the words. That had to be disappointing, given how much she knew he had studied for it all week. "Well, the important thing is you tried your best," she said, giving him a reassuring hug.

"Miss Teresa gave me this. She wants you to come see her." He dug into his pocket and gave her a crumpled piece of paper.

"A note?" Michaela asked. She quickly opened the paper. Teresa Slicker wanted to meet with her and Sully the following week. Michaela couldn’t fathom what she wanted to discuss, and she had never liked the teacher's habit of communicating everything through vague notes she gave to the children to deliver. But it was no use arguing the point with her. "All right. Tell your teacher we'll come," she said, putting her arm around the little boy's shoulders.

"Dr. Mike!" Loren called, jogging toward the bridge and motioning for her to follow.

She increased her pace. "Loren, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he said impatiently. "Just get over to the store. I'm about to install Colorado Springs' second telephone, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Loren. I have an appointment at quarter past that I need to prepare f-" she began.

"They're gonna have to wait. Just get over here," he interrupted firmly, spinning around and heading toward the saloon to round up more people.

Michaela raised her eyebrows and glanced at the children, who were giggling. "Very well then. Let's go see the second telephone."

She led the children to the store where a young man wearing a toolbelt was examining some wires attached to a large telephone very similar to Preston's mounted to the wall. The children ran off to look at the toys on the shelves and Michaela began browsing the canned goods. Only a few other customers were in the store shopping, none of them very interested in the telephone.

"Loren, I'm in the middle of a shave!" Jake protested, drying his hands on a towel as Loren dragged him into the store.

Loren grinned widely, gesturing at the big box. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's a telephone," Jake said disinterestedly.

Loren cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting down the street. "Dorothy! Dorothy, you're late! Hurry up!"

Dorothy came out of her Gazette with her notebook and pencil. She walked calmly down the street and entered the store.

"Afternoon, Michaela," she said cheerfully, coming to her side. "Did you hear? Mrs. Morgan's boy just got engaged to Lucille Parker. The wedding's in July."

"Oh, how wonderful. It sounds like this is going to be a very busy summer for the Reverend."

"Dorothy. Telephone's over here!" Loren said, hands on his hips.

"I'm coming, Loren," Dorothy said, shaking her head and walking to the counter.

"Byron, Red Eagle. Katie!" Loren called. "Get over here. Come watch."

"Yeah. After I get this yo-yo," Byron called back as he struggled to untangle the string on a wooden yo-yo.

"Oh, no. Look what you did," Katie scolded, squatting down to help him.

Red Eagle raced over and grabbed Loren's hand. "I like your telephone, Mr. Bray," he said sweetly.

He tousled his hair. "At least somebody does."

The telephone worker connected the last wire and put his wire cutters in his toolbox. Then he picked up the receiver and pressed it to his ear, turning the crank on the side. "Bell Telephone Company. Testing the line," he shouted into the mouthpiece. "Yes. Thank you." He spun around. "You're all set, Mr. Bray."

"That's it?" he replied.

"That's it. We'll send you the bill." He gathered his tools and walked out of the store.

Loren just stared at the telephone in fascination and smiled widely. "Look at that. What a wonder."

"Well? Aren't you going to ring somebody?" Dorothy asked.

He glanced at her. "Ring somebody? Well, I…I don't know anybody to ring."

Dorothy shared a glance with Michaela and they both chuckled.

"Loren, you bought a telephone and now you don't know anyone to ring?" Michaela asked.

He glared at her grouchily. "I'll ring my suppliers when I need more stock. I don't need anything right now. If that's all right with you."

"I gotta finish that shave," Jake replied.

"I need to get back to the Gazette. Afternoon, Loren," Dorothy said, following Jake outside.

"And I have a patient to see," Michaela said. "Come on, children."

"Wait," he said weakly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bray," Red Eagle said, squeezing his hand. "Maybe somebody will ring you instead."

"Who's gonna ring an old man like me?" he muttered.

"I would all the time. I mean, if I had a telephone," he said.

He smiled at him weakly. "Go on with you. See ya later."

"Bye, Mr. Bray," Katie said, quickly hugging him.

"See ya, Mr. Bray!" Byron shouted, scurrying out the door after Michaela.

Michaela rocked Eliza in front of the fire and stroked her cheek and she nursed. Sully was already in bed after a long day, leaning against the pillows and watching his wife and new daughter lovingly.

"I'm afraid his telephone didn't garner quite the reaction he may have hoped for," she remarked.

"Don’t see what all the fuss is about in the first place. Far as I'm concerned it's just another thing to interrupt our peace and quiet out here."

"Don't be so cynical, Sully," she scolded wryly. "Besides, I may even get one for the clinic eventually."

"Michaela, you don't need a telephone. Who would ya ring? None of your patients have 'em."

"But they might. Someday."

"Wouldn't count on it. Waste of money."

The baby suddenly released her hold on the breast and turned her head away disinterestedly.

"Finished already, sweetheart?" Michaela murmured with concern. "That wasn't very long."

Byron suddenly thrust open the door. "Papa, Mama-"

Michaela flinched and covered herself with Eliza's blanket. "Byron, I'm nursing your baby sister. You need to knock."

"Oh. It's just there's this fly in our room buzzin' around. We can't sleep."

"And this was such an emergency you couldn't knock?" she replied

"You know you're supposed to knock when our door is closed," Sully said, sitting up straighter. "I want ya to apologize right now."

"But Papa!" he exclaimed.

Sully narrowed his brow. "Byron, you tell your ma you're sorry."

"No! I never asked for a baby sister!" he retorted.

"Byron, I ain't askin' ya again. You apologize right now," Sully said firmly, getting out of bed and looking down at him.

"Fine! Sorry!" he retorted, spinning around, grabbing the doorknob and slamming the door hard behind him.

"Byron!" Michaela called.

Sully immediately got out of bed, shaking his head.

"Oh, Sully. This isn't getting any better," she said dejectedly. "I thought things would improve if we just gave him time."

He folded his arms pensively. "I think maybe he got used to bein' the youngest. Used to the both of us givin' him all our attention. Maybe he's just startin' to realize how much the new baby needs us right now."

"Sully, I didn't tell you. Teresa wants to meet with us next week. About him."

"Why?"

"I have no idea. But he failed his spelling test today. He studied all week for that. Do you suppose he's so upset about the new baby it's affecting his schoolwork?"

"I think he was strugglin' with spellin' before Eliza was ever born."

She swallowed hard. "Sometimes I feel like I've let him down. I sit with him and study with him all the time. So does Mother and Brian for that matter. And I know he's trying. And yet he's still bringing home failing marks."

"Ya ain't let him down," he said. "We're doin' the best we can with him. That's all we can ask." He sighed. "I better talk to him."

"No, let me talk to him," she said, standing up and handing him the baby. "Can you burp her?"

"Yeah," he murmured, taking the baby from her and sitting in the rocking chair.

Michaela opened the door and walked down the hallway to the boys' room, buttoning up her nightgown as she went. Byron was in bed with arms crossed and a slight scowl on his face. Red Eagle watched him sleepily but wasn't saying anything.

"Where's this fly?" Michaela asked, taking a seat beside Byron.

"He flew out the door," he muttered.

"Oh. Good." She reached up to stroke back his hair. "Sweetheart, it's not that Papa and I don't want you to come to us if there's a problem. Of course we do. But Mama needs a little privacy when I'm feeding your sister. That's a private thing. You just need to knock next time, all right? Do you understand?"

"Fine," he muttered.

She paused a long moment. "Byron, are you upset Eliza's a girl? She can still play baseball you know. When she's older."

"I didn't want a brother either. I wish you never had a baby."

"Byron, don’t say that!" Red Eagle protested.

"It's true," he retorted.

"Byron, I don’t think you really mean that," Michaela said.

"Yes, I do," he said vehemently

"All right. We're all a little upset right now. I think we should get a good night's sleep and we'll feel better in the morning." She gave his back a gentle pat and got up. "Goodnight, boys."

"Night, Mama," Red Eagle whispered as she shut the door.

"I never been back East myself," Kirk remarked as he and Sully leaned against the fence. "I hear tell it's a bustlin' place."

"Pretty quiet when I was a boy," Sully remarked. "We lived in the countryside."

"Hudson River valley, right? I saw a postcard once. Beautiful."

Sully watched as Mr. Avery led a bull into the pen and unhooked the rope on its bridle. Sully's cow was at the other end, chewing on some grass. The bull flared his nostrils and stuck out his tongue as Mr. Avery took a seat up on the fence.

"Looks like he's interested," Kirk remarked. "So you remember your pa at all?"

Sully sighed. He didn't want to talk about his father or his childhood period, but Kirk seemed oblivious to that. "No," he said shortly.

The bull approached the cow and sniffed her. "Your ma ever talk about him?"

"Nope," he replied. The bull made an attempt to mount her. Bessie seemed receptive to him and didn't try to get away.

"Oh, there he goes. Good," Kirk remarked. "Ya know, Mr. Avery said this bull's sired about two-hundred calves around these parts. I think ya got a good shot here."

"Hope so," Sully said. "She ain't givin' much milk anymore."

Kirk picked up a length of stiff grass and chewed on the end. "Wonder why he left. Ya ask him?"

"I don't much care why he left," Sully retorted.

"I'm just sayin', Sully, maybe he had a reason."

"What reason could their be to walk out on your wife, your two young sons, Kirk? A man don't walk out on his family. No matter how bad things get, ya don't take the coward's way out."

"Sully, I just-"

"I know you're tryin' to help, but ya don't understand. Ya don't understand what he did to my ma."

"He's an old man, Sully. Whoever he was when you were a boy, he ain't him anymore."

Mr. Avery led the cow out of the fence and walked over to Sully. "Looks like it was successful. Bring her back in a few days, I wanna give it a try at least a few more times for insurance. Then I'll come by your place next month and see if she's pregnant."

"Thanks. How much I owe ya?" Sully said.

"Nothin' yet. Ya pay when we're sure she's pregnant. Six dollars."

Sully shook his hand. "Thank you, sir." He clicked his tongue and pulled the rope on the cow. "Come on, girl."

"See ya tomorrow," Kirk said.

Sully nodded. "See ya tomorrow."

"Ya see that bottle there?" Sully said as he carefully added another bucket of hot water to the tub. "Can you pour some of that in the water? That's lavender oil. It'll make the water smell real pretty."

Byron grabbed the small glass bottle off the chair and uncorked it, taking a whiff. "It smells girly."

"Mama's a girl, ain't she?"

"Oh, yeah," he said with a giggle. He dumped a good amount of the oil into the water.

Sully chuckled, taking the bottle from him. "Not too much, not too much."

"How come girls like takin' baths, Papa?" Red Eagle asked, resting one hand on the edge of the tub.

"I don't know. Guess it feels nice."

He scratched his nose. "Oh. Sounds boring."

Sully smiled at him and walked into the sitting room, the boys behind him. He found Michaela dozing in the wingback chair with the baby and Elizabeth in the other chair with Katie in her lap, reading a storybook. Sully carefully lifted the baby off her lap and rested her over his shoulder.

"Michaela," he whispered. "Michaela."

She opened her eyes. "Hm?"

"How'd ya like a nice warm bath before bed?" he said. "Wash your hair?"

"What about the baby?" she asked worriedly.

"We'll watch her. We got her."

"I'll play with her, Mama," Red Eagle said. "I'll be gentle."

"You don't mind?"

"We'll all play with her, Mama," Katie offered, putting her book aside.

"Yes, we'll look after her, Michaela," Elizabeth added.

"In that case a bath sounds lovely right now." She stood.

Sully nodded toward the kitchen. "We put up the tub for ya, got a towel and some soap."

She kissed him, then kissed the baby. "Thank you, Sully. Thank you to all of you."

He smiled at her and then grabbed a blanket out of the cradle and laid it on the floor, placing the baby atop it and rubbing her belly.

"What do ya say, Eliza? Ya gonna be good for your pa while Mama takes a bath?"

"I'll get her toys," Byron said, racing toward the cradle and pulling out her rattle and a doll.

"You can't wet your diaper until Mama's done," Red Eagle instructed, squatting down beside Sully. "Otherwise we're gonna have to change it!"

Sully chuckled and stroked her hair. "Good girl. You're such a pretty girl."

Sully and the children kept the baby occupied and happy for about five minutes until she began to whimper and fuss. Then she began tossing her head in earnest and wailing quite forcefully, smacking her lips.

"Uh-oh. Don't cry. Don't cry," Byron said, shaking the rattle in front of her. "Look at the rattle. I'll hold it for you because you're too little just yet to hold it."

The baby just cried harder, her face reddening. Sully picked her up and walked her in front of the fireplace, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down.

"Oh, dear. I think she misses Michaela," Elizabeth remarked.

"Sully!" Michaela called urgently.

"She's fine," he called back. "We got her."

He paced in front of the fireplace a few more times, desperately patting her back. "Shh. Shh, Eliza. It's all right." The baby beat her head against his chest, puckering her lips in earnest.

Red Eagle giggled. "What's she doing? She thinks you're Mama."

"I think she wants to eat, Papa," Katie told him.

"Shh, Mama's gonna feed ya. Just as soon as she takes her bath," Sully soothed.

"Sully!" Michaela called again.

He sighed and carried the baby into the kitchen, walking behind the screens. Michaela was sitting up tensely in the soapy water, holding a bar of soap. Her hair was damp and soaked with suds.

"What's wrong with her? Does she want to nurse?" she asked frantically.

"She's fine. She's just rootin' around. Just finish your bath."

She heaved a sigh. "I can't stand to hear her crying like that, Sully."

"Michaela, she'll be all right for five more minutes. She's all right."

Eliza banged her head against Sully's chest again, grunting in earnest.

She shook her head. "Oh, look at her. I can't do this to her." She abruptly got out of the tub and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her waist and then sitting in the chair.

Sully laid the baby in her arms and Eliza screamed some more and was so upset she couldn't even find her way to the breast.

"Shh, Mama's here. Mama's here," Michaela soothed, guiding the nipple into the baby's mouth. "There you are. There's Mama." Eliza quieted instantly and began suckling. Michaela smoothed away the baby tears and stroked her head. "Shh, there you are. Is that better? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Mama won't do that again. I'm sorry."

Sully gazed at the baby and put his finger in her little fist. "Ya couldn't wait just a little longer to let your mama finish her bath?"

"I'm sorry, Sully," Michaela said. "When she cries she breaks my heart. I can't listen to it. I can't stand it."

"Baby's cry sometimes."

"I know. But I can't stand the way she cries. She sounds like a wounded little kitten."

"Sounds like every other baby to me. It wouldn't hurt to wait five minutes. Ya coulda finished."

"I can't have a relaxing bath anyway with her carrying on. I'll finish. After she's done nursing."

Michaela awoke to a very uncomfortable, sticky dampness between her legs. She shifted up and hoisted up her nightgown. She had soaked through the rags she had placed beneath her before she went to bed and was lying in a puddle of dark blood.

"Oh, no," she murmured.

She made her way out of bed and grabbed a towel, desperately pressing it between her legs. She removed it and glanced at it, swallowing hard, then put the towel aside and unbuttoned her nightgown, slipping it over her head. Then she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and couldn't help being a little alarmed. Blood had dried all down the inside of her legs during the night and continued to drip onto her thighs.

Sully shifted in bed and opened his eyes, squinting at her. "Michaela, what're ya doin'?"

She shook her head uncomfortably and grabbed the towel again.

Sully immediately got out of bed and joined her, touching her back.

"I'm all right," she whispered.

"You're bleedin'!" he breathed.

"I'm sorry. I ruined the sheets."

"Here, let me help ya. Let me help," he said, grabbing another cloth and soaking it in the basin. Then he squatted down and wiped it down one of her legs. He suddenly shifted and quickly pressed the cloth between her legs. "Oh."

"What?"

"Blood clot. Pretty big. Something's wrong." He cringed, panicking all the more. "Ya just passed another, Michaela. I gotta get ya some help."

She glanced at the cloth, swallowing hard. "No, it's good to be passing them. It needs to come out."

"This ain't right," he insisted. "I gotta get Andrew."

"It's just the remains of the uterine lining from the pregnancy. As long as I'm not showing any signs of infection we don't need to worry. I don't have a fever, I'm not in any pain." She gave his cheek a gentle caress. "Sully, this is what has to happen. It's not the most pleasant of things to go through, but I promise you nothing is wrong."

He got to his feet and gave her a gentle hug. "Ya sure? Ya feel all right?"

"I'm fine. I'm just sorry I made such a mess," she murmured shyly.

"Don't worry about it. We'll take care of it. Let me heat some water for ya."

"It's the middle of the night."

"I don't mind." He grasped her arm and laid a fresh towel on the chair and helped her sit. "You wait here."

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

He kissed her fingers. "Just take it easy, all right? I'll be right back."

The children gathered outside Jake's barbershop, holding their schoolbooks and lunch tins. Jake was running his razor blade down a customer's chin. He rinsed it in a nearby bowl of water and glanced at them curiously.

"Uh, need a haircut?" he asked.

"No, Mr. Slicker. We need a bathtub," Katie said.

"You don't look dirty to me," he replied, running the blade down again.

"Not for us. For my mama," Samantha explained.

He raised an eyebrow. "She's not dirty either."

"No, see, mamas like having baths," Byron explained. "It's boring to us but it feels nice to them."

Jake was slightly amused as he rinsed the blade again. "Oh, really? How do you know this?"

"Our pa. He knows everything about women," he replied.

"Oh. Maybe I should take lessons from him," Jake said.

"So how much is it?" Red Eagle asked. "The bath."

Jake rinsed the blade skeptically. "Too expensive for you. Ten cents."

Byron dug into his pocket, coming up with a coin and holding it out. "Here you go."

Jake examined the coin skeptically. "How'd you come up with ten cents?"

Byron shrugged.

"Oh, Mr. Slicker?" Red Eagle said. "Don't tell Samantha's ma we were the ones that got the bath for her."

"Why?" he replied.

"It's a secret. She's at the café. Thanks!" Samantha said. The children scurried out, leaving Jake standing there clutching the coin.

Jake found Myra chatting with Grace in her outdoor kitchen.

"Myra," he called.

"Hey, Jake," she replied.

"Your bath's waiting."

Confusion spread across her face. "Bath? What bath?"

"In my barbershop. Somebody paid for it for ya."

"Somebody? Who?"

"Sorry, I'm not allowed to say."

"Not allowed to say?"

He folded his arms impatiently. "Myra, are you gonna take your bath or not? The water's getting cold."

"Go on, Myra. You might as well," Grace encouraged as she stirred something on her stove.

"Well, all right. I guess I should. You sure you can't tell me who did this for me, Jake? I just can't imagine who."

"Somebody who must care an awful lot about you," he replied with a soft smile. "Come on, let's go."

"Hey, Mama!" Byron shouted as he opened the clinic door. Red Eagle, Katie and Samantha filed behind him.

Michaela was dozing at her desk, her head resting across her arms. She awoke with a start and straightened.

"Oh, sorry. Is it nap time, Mama?" Red Eagle asked.

She blinked away sleep and tried to refocus on the medical chart in front of her. "No, it's work time. How was school? Did you just get out? How are you, Sam?"

"Hey, Dr. Mike," she said.

"Can Samantha stay and play?" Katie asked, putting her schoolbooks on Michaela's desk.

She glanced at the clock. "Yes, for a little bit. Do you want to scrub my floor? I'll pay you five cents each if you do a good job."

"Yes, Mama. Please," Katie said with a smile.

Michaela glanced down a moment. She really wasn't too worried about the increase in blood flow over the past few days. It was still within the normal amount and she wasn't experiencing any signs of infection or any other concerning symptoms. But she still needed to keep a close monitor on it, just in case it did get any worse. She got up and caressed Byron's head.

"Could you watch the baby a moment, sweethearts? I'll be right back and start heating some water for you."

"Sure, Mama," Red Eagle said.

Michaela opened a drawer in her cabinet and took out several clean white rags and then headed to the front recovery room and closed the door.

"I wish I had a little sister. She's so teeny," Samantha said, approaching the bassinette and peering inside. Eliza was cooing contentedly and wiggling her legs.

"Yeah, she's fun. I mean, sometimes," Byron said. He put his schoolbooks and lunch tin next to Red Eagle's and reached into the bassinette, lifting her out and holding her to her chest. "Hey, Eliza. It's Byron. Can you say Byron? Say Byron."

"She can't talk yet, silly," Katie said.

"How do you know? Maybe she can if she tries," Byron replied intrepidly.

"Your ma lets you hold her?" Samantha asked, impressed.

"Sure. You just have to remember to hold her head good," Byron replied, cupping his hand around the baby's head.

"Why?" Samantha asked.

"I don't know. I think babies like you to hold their heads," he explained.

"My turn next," Red Eagle spoke up, holding out his arms.

"Not yet. I'm still havin' my turn," Byron said, stepping away from him.

"You always hog her, Byron," Red Eagle protested.

"No I don't," he protested. "You hog her. Besides, we should let Sam hold her next. She's the guest."

Samantha stepped back shyly. "I don't want to hold her. I'm scared."

"Don't be scared. It's easy," Byron said. He rocked the baby back and forth. "See, you just do this and she goes right to sleep." He glanced up as Michaela opened the door and stepped back into the room. "Mama, Samantha's afraid to hold the baby. Can you help her?"

"Byron, what are you doing?!" she exclaimed, rushing to his side and taking the baby from him.

Chapter Nine

Byron looked up at his mother, chastened. "Nothin'. I was holdin' the baby. Ma, you said I could whenever I want."

"You said we could, Mama," Katie added in a whisper.

"Why were you standing up like that?" Michaela demanded. "No, you mustn't do that!"

"But you said I could!" he replied.

"I meant when you're sitting down," she replied, pressing Eliza against her shoulder. "When you're sitting down and when I put her in your lap for you. I never want you to pick the baby up by yourself and walk around with her like this. You're not ready for that."

"But I'm not a little kid, Mama," he protested. "I won't drop her, I promise."

"You'll do as I say or you won't hold her at all," she retorted. "That goes for all of you, do you understand?"

"Fine," Byron muttered.

She swallowed hard and gently rocked the baby. "Do you want to sit at my desk and hold her now? That would be all right."

"No, not anymore," he murmured. He glanced at the older children. "Come on. Let's go to the meadow and play."

Michaela came down the stairs and entered the dining room, cradling the baby in the sling and holding a notebook and pencil. Elizabeth and the children were setting the table for supper and a big pot of stew was in the center.

"She didn't want to nurse for some reason," Michaela remarked, glancing at Elizabeth. "I'm going to start keeping track of when she's eating and for how long."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked. "Do you think something could be wrong?"

She scribbled down a few numbers on the notebook and then put it aside. "I don't know. She's just been a little unpredictable lately. Sometimes I'm not sure she's getting enough."

"Parents always worry their baby isn't getting enough. I know I did. But she'll let you know if she's not."

Michaela glanced down at the baby and rocked her. "I suppose."

Brian opened the door and walked inside, taking off his hat.

"Brian!" Katie shouted, running to him and giving him a hug.

"Hey, Kate," he replied.

"Brian? I thought you were eating at Sarah's again tonight," Michaela said.

"Change in plans," he replied. "Mind if I eat supper with the family tonight?"

"Mind? Of course not."

"I'll get you a plate!" Katie said, scurrying off to the kitchen.

"Why aren't you eating at Sarah's?" Elizabeth asked. "She's not ill, is she?"

"Nope," he replied, unbuttoning his jacket and hanging it up.

"Well, then why?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Mother," Michaela scolded.

"It's all right, Ma," Brian said as Katie set down a plate and laid out an extra napkin and silverware. "Truth is we sorta had a fight the other day."

"Oh? What about?" Michaela asked.

He walked to the table and grabbed a roll out of the basket. "Nothing too important. I don't really wanna talk about it right now if that's all right."

Michaela gave his arm a gentle pat. "Sit down. We're about to eat."

Sully opened the door just as Michaela took off the lid from the pot of stew and began dishing up everyone's plates.

"Sorry I'm late," Sully said. "Brian, didn't know you were comin'."

"Hey, Pa," he replied.

The children ran to him and hugged him. Sully picked up Byron and threw him into the air playfully.

"You're not late. You're just in time," Michaela replied as she handed Elizabeth her plate.

He spun Byron upside down and then put him on his feet as the little boy screeched with delight. Then he gave Michaela a kiss. "Smells great." He crouched down and kissed the baby. "Hey, baby girl. Hey. Pa's home."

"Red Eagle, ask the blessing please," Michaela said as everyone sat down and joined hands.

He bowed his head. "Bless this food and our family. And please help Eliza eat more milk because Mama thinks she's not eating enough and she needs to eat more. Amen."

"Amen," Michaela said. "Thank you, sweetheart. That was thoughtful of you."

"Baby still losin' weight?" Sully spoke up as he picked up his fork.

"She hasn't lost any since yesterday," Michaela told him. "But she's not gaining either."

He dug into his stew. "Babies lose a little the first week or two. Ya said so yourself."

"Yes, I'm hoping that's all this is," she replied as she took a sip of coffee.

"How was everybody's day?" Sully asked.

"Pretty good," Katie said. "We already finished our homework."

"Good," Sully replied. "Maybe after supper we can throw the baseball a little, how's that sound?"

"Mine was good except for the part where Mama yelled at me," Byron spoke up.

Sully glanced at Michaela curiously.

"Byron. Sweetheart, I didn't yell," Michaela said.

"Yes you did," he muttered.

"What happened?" Sully asked.

"I was just holding the baby, Papa. I wasn't doing anything wrong," Byron said, stirring his stew impatiently.

"I just left the room for a moment and he took her out of her bassinette all by himself and was standing up with her," Michaela said disapprovingly. "He's too young to carry her around like that, Sully. They all are." She glanced down at Eliza protectively. "What if he tripped?"

"Ma, I won't trip," Byron protested. "Everybody else gets to walk around with Eliza. How come I can't? Papa, tell Mama."

"Hey, you listen to your ma," Sully spoke up firmly. "She wants you to sit down when you hold the baby then that's what you're gonna do. Byron?"

"Yes, sir," he whispered.

"What?" Sully replied.

"Yes, sir," he replied a little louder.

"I'm sorry if I yelled," Michaela spoke up. "I was just surprised to see you doing that."

Byron glanced at her and took a bite of stew.

"Byron? Ya got somethin' ya wanna say?" Sully prompted.

He sighed and swallowed his food. "I'm sorry I picked Eliza up all by myself," he whispered. "Next time I'll sit down."

"Apology accepted," Michaela said with a soft smile.

"How was your day, Sully?" Elizabeth asked.

He ate another bite of stew. "Fine."

"Everything going all right with William?" she asked.

He glanced at her impatiently. "Everything's fine."

"He told ya anything about his past?" Brian asked. "Wonder what he's been up to all these years."

Sully drank down a sip of coffee. "We don't much talk."

Michaela sensed the subject of William was really making Sully angry. "Um, children, you have a baseball game this week don't you?"

"Hey, can Gran'pa come to our baseball game?" Byron asked, reaching for the basket of rolls.

"Yes! Gran'pa!" Katie exclaimed. "Papa, can you ask Gran'pa to come when you see him at work?"

"You want him at your baseball game you can ask him yourself," he said.

Katie glanced at him curiously. "Oh. All right."

"I'll ask him for you," Michaela spoke up helpfully. "Next time I see him." She tried to catch Sully's eyes but he was focused on eating his stew and ignoring her. "I'm sure he'll love to come," she added softly.

"Oh, Dr. Mike, I just got some more of that new soap Elizabeth likes," Loren said from the counter as Michaela walked into the store carrying the baby.

"Oh. All right. I'll let her know," she replied quietly.

"What can I get you today?" he asked, putting down his clipboard and pencil. "You have a list?"

"Actually, Loren, I didn't come to shop," she said. "I was hoping you might have a few minutes to talk."

"Talk? Sure, Dr. Mike. About what?"

She circled the counter. "I take it you've heard about Sully's father."

"William? Yeah, I heard."

"I'm afraid Sully wants nothing to do with him. He'd be happy if he went back to St. Louis on the next train."

"Well, guess he's got his reasons."

"You've known Sully longer than almost anyone. Certainly a lot longer than me. I was wondering, has he ever talked about his past before? Perhaps he mentioned something to Abigail?"

"Sully and I weren't exactly havin' a lotta long talks when he was involved with my daughter," he said grimly.

"Oh. Of course," she murmured.

"We didn't know much. I didn't even know his parents were from England until William came to town. Maude said his mother drowned herself. Abigail told her. That's all we knew of his past. Fact is, that was the only time I ever saw Abigail unsure about marrying him."

"Abigail was unsure?" she replied with surprise.

"Well, not for long. She was just a little upset she didn't know more of where he came from. Came home cryin' to Maude one night a few weeks before the weddin'. I guess Sully got angry with her when she asked him about it. But she got over it."

"Oh," Michaela said. "Loren, it's just, I want to help Sully have a relationship with his father. He's never had that. But I don't know how to help him forgive him for walking out."

"I don't think it was the walkin' out, Dr. Mike. At least not directly."

"What do you mean?"

"When somebody dies, ya always wanna find somebody to blame. I know I did. Guess I thought it would help me feel better, tellin' myself it was somebody else's fault."

It suddenly dawned on her. "You're saying he blames his father for his mother's death? But William was gone nearly ten years before that happened. How could it be his fault?"

"I'm willin' to guess Sully don't see it that way. Maybe he thinks if his pa was around, she never woulda done it."

"You may be right, Loren," she said, rubbing the baby's back pensively.

"I blamed Sully when my daughter died. But like they say, time heals. I eventually saw what a fool I was. I realized it was just a bad accident. Sully's mother, her killin' herself wasn't anybody else's fault either. Just a question of when Sully's gonna see that."

"If he ever does," she murmured.

Suddenly Loren's telephone buzzed loudly. He shook with surprise. "Look at that! That's the first call somebody's made to me!"

"Aren't you going to answer it?" Michaela spoke up helpfully.

"Oh, right," he said, rushing over to the phone and picking up the receiver. "Bray's Mercantile. Loren Bray speaking," he shouted excitedly. He paused a long moment and his face fell. "No, Bray's Mercantile. Colorado Springs. Right. No, that's all right. No harm done. Goodbye." He hung up the receiver and returned to the counter.

"Well? Who was it?" Michaela asked with a smile. "Anyone important?"

"Nobody. They meant to ring somebody else," he grumbled.

"Oh," she said, trying to suppress her amusement. "Well, I should be heading back."

"Right. See you later, Dr. Mike."

"Loren, thank you," she said.

He smiled softly. "You're welcome."

Dorothy wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, stepped down from the Gazette and headed toward the meadow. The saloon was bustling as it usually was around nine o'clock at night, but the rest of the town was quiet and peaceful.

She watched curiously as a man leaned against the bridge and wrapped his hand around his ankle. He tried to walk on it and stumbled, catching himself on the rail of the bridge.

Dorothy increased her pace a little, approaching him. "Sir? Is something wrong?" she called.

He glanced up with embarrassment. "No, ma'am. Nothing. I just stepped into a gopher hole back there, twisted my ankle a bit."

"You're William, aren't you? We haven't formally met. I'm Dorothy Jennings."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Jennings. What's a lovely lady like you doing out here all by herself at this time of night?"

She smiled shyly. "I usually take a long walk after supper. I love the cool night air."

"Well, so do I. That's what I was doing. Or at least trying to do!"

She chuckled softly. "Well, I could drive you out to Michaela's. I think she should look at it. What if it's broken?"

"Oh, no, no it's nothing like that. I won't require a doctor. I'll just put my feet up tonight. I'll be better in the morning."

"At least let me help you back to the boarding house then," she replied. "We'll take it slow."

He put his arm around her shoulders. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Michaela told me who you are. What a surprise it must have all been to finally find your son."

"You could say that. Have you known Sully long?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. He was married to my niece years ago. My sister's daughter Abigail."

"Oh, I didn't know Sully was married before."

"You didn't? Oh. Maybe you should ask him about that then."

"There's not much Sully's telling me at the moment," he admitted.

"Oh," she murmured. "Well, she…she passed away in childbirth. During the war. She and the baby both."

"Oh," he whispered, swallowing hard. "That's dreadful."

"Sully left town soon after that, didn't return for years. He took it all real hard."

"Any man would."

"Of course, I was busy helping my sister get through what had happened, her husband Loren, too. And I still had young'uns of my own in the house. I'm afraid I wasn't a very good friend to him at the time."

"I'm sure that's not true," he replied. "After all, what can anyone do in such a situation? I'm sure you all did your best."

She smiled softly as they reached the boarding house and she helped him onto the porch. "Can you make it inside?"

"Yes, certainly." He grasped her hand and kissed it. "Thank you, ma'am. You've been too kind."

Her cheeks blushed faintly. It had been quite awhile since a man had caught her interest. And William was a particularly handsome man, she had to admit. "You're very welcome," she replied.

Sully roused when Michaela woke up at about three in the morning. He watched her quietly get out of bed and step into her slippers and button up her robe. She looked a little uncomfortable and there was a trace of sweat across her brow.

"You all right?" he whispered.

"Outhouse," she whispered back.

Sully rubbed the sleeping baby's back and waited up for Michaela to return. About ten minutes later when she still wasn't back, he got out of bed, tucked a few pillows around the baby just in case she managed to move, and then padded downstairs.

He found Michaela standing at the kitchen sink nearly gulping down a tall glass of water.

"What's wrong?" he asked, approaching her and putting his arm around her.

She finished off the glass and sighed. "Nothing. I just have to be careful to stay hydrated."

"Ya losin' more blood? It gettin' worse?"

"No, it's not any worse. It's just continuing for a little longer than I planned for." She brought her hand to her belly and gently massaged it. "I'm a little crampy. I've been passing more clots."

"What do ya wanna do? Ya wanna sit in the outhouse again?" he asked.

She nodded. "I think I should."

She put the glass down and headed off to the outhouse. Sully followed right behind her and walked into the outhouse with her, crouching down with her and rubbing her belly.

"Sully, go back to bed," she told him.

"No, I'm gonna stay with ya in case it gets worse," he said as he continued to massage her stomach. "Does this hurt?"

"No. You can press harder. It'll help encourage it to contract and pass the clots." She guided his hand down lower. "Press right here."

He felt her forehead with his other hand and then her cheek. "Ya don't seem feverish. That's good, right?"

"Yes, there's no sign of infection at all. Heavy bleeding is more common in women the more children they have. Sometimes it takes a little longer for the uterus to get back to normal."

"What if it don't stop?"

"It will. Eventually."

"It could get worse, Michaela."

She swallowed. "Well, if it does I may have to talk to Andrew about doing a dilation and curettage. But I doubt it's going to come to that."

He paled slightly. "What's that?"

"Put me to sleep and scrape the inside of the uterus of any remaining tissue with a special instrument. It's actually a fairly routine procedure. I've done it dozens of times on women."

"Sounds like that's what ya need. I better bring Andrew out in the morning."

"No, he'll want to do it right away. There's always a risk of infection with any kind of procedure like that. I'd rather not if I don't have to. I'd rather wait and see for now."

"I think we've waited long enough, Michaela."

"Sully, I'll be in bed three days, perhaps even more if I have that done," she protested, shaking her head. "I can't go through that again. I can't be incapacitated like that again. I just got back on my feet and now you want me back in bed."

"So you're just gonna let yourself bleed to death," he replied impatiently.

"Of course not. Don't exaggerate." She placed her hand atop his and pressed it downward all the harder. "We'll just keep massaging tonight, see what happens."

Sully wasn't very comfortable being conservative, but Michaela seemed adamant she didn't need a doctor and everything would sort itself out on its own. He kept massaging her belly and stayed right with her until she decided she had passed everything she could tonight and they went back to bed.

William limped over to the frame of the building with his hammer and a tin of nails. Kirk watched him with concern.

"You're really nursin' that ankle, William," Kirk remarked as he measured the length of a board and made a mark with his pencil.

William braced a nail and pounded it in. "That? Oh, it's nothing. I just walked on it wrong."

"You oughta have Dr. Mike take a look."

"No, that's not necessary," he said with a chuckle.

Sully walked over with a bucket of water and a ladle, placing it in front of the men. "Gettin' warm out. Wanna be sure everybody's gettin' enough water. Everybody take five minutes."

Kirk hopped down and took off his hat. "William hurt himself, Sully. Twisted his ankle."

Sully glanced at the old man curiously. "Ya hurt yourself on the job?"

"No. I was just walking in the meadow the other night. It was dark."

Kirk dipped the ladle in and took a big swig of water. "Ya oughta let him go over to the clinic, get it checked out by Dr. Mike."

"Kirk. I told you it was nothing," William scolded. "I've put up with injuries a lot worse than this over the years."

"Injured man shouldn't be workin'," Sully said. "You go over and have Dr. Mike take a look. She says you're all right to work then ya can come back."

"Well, if you insist," he replied.

"Let me help you, Will," Kirk said, stepping toward him.

"No, no, I can manage," he said, brushing him off. "I may be old enough to be your grandfather, young man, but that doesn't mean I can't keep up with you spring chickens like the best of them."

Kirk chuckled and put his hat back on. "Well, if you say so." He watched as William hobbled slowly down the street. "Sure a stubborn old timer," he remarked. "But a good worker. A real good worker, wouldn't ya say, Sully?"

"I guess," Sully muttered, dipping the ladle in the bucket and taking a long drink.

William rang the clinic bell.

"Come in," Michaela called.

He opened the door to find Michaela emptying out her medicine cabinet and wiping down all the bottles. Her hair was tied back with a kerchief and her face was bathed in sweat.

"Oh, William. Good morning."

He held onto the doorframe for support. "What are you so hard at work at?"

"The baby's sleeping so I thought I could finish some spring cleaning. What can I do for you?"

He hobbled inside. "I seem to have walked wrong on my ankle."

She put down the bottle she was holding and approached him, putting her arm around his waist to steady him. "Here, can you make it to the table?"

"You work too hard," he remarked, slowly hobbling to the examination table and hopping up. "You should take it easy. After all, you just had a baby."

"You sound like Sully," she murmured. "Take off your boot and sock."

"That's because he's right."

She sighed and walked to her medicine cabinet to gather some gauze, a pair of scissors and a basin. It was true she was pushing herself these first several days back at the clinic. She didn't know who she was trying to impress. Perhaps only herself. She wanted to prove to herself that motherhood would never slow her down, that her clinic wouldn't suffer just because there was a new baby in the house. The truth was it was far too late for that. She had already missed who knew how many weeks, probably even months of work during her pregnancy from all the morning sickness and bed rest. Of course Andrew was always ready and available to take over whenever she needed, but she felt like she had relied on him more than ever during this particular pregnancy, and now that the baby was born she wanted to make up for everything she had missed. As a result she was nearly dead on her feet, though not about to admit that to anyone.

Michaela returned to the examination table and gently flexed his foot back and forth.

"Well, it's not broken. It appears to be just a slight sprain. I'll wrap it up for you and then get you some ice. It should be feeling better in a few days."

"Thank you," he replied.

She cut off a length of gauze and began wrapping his ankle. She blinked quickly and struggled to stay lucid on her feet.

"Michaela, what's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Is this too tight?"

"Michaela, perhaps you should sit down," he said, eyeing her worriedly. "My ankle can wait."

"No, I'm all right," she protested.

He slid down from the table and grasped her arm. "Please, you're pale as a ghost. You're frightening me. Have a seat."

"Perhaps I should sit down," she murmured.

He lead her to the desk. Before they reached her chair she suddenly stumbled and fell forward.

William caught her just before she hit the floor and held her up beneath her arms. He got down on his knees and laid her on the floor, turning her to her back. Her eyes were rolled back and sweat dripped down her forehead.

He patted her cheek firmly. "Michaela? Michaela?"

Her eyelids fluttered and then she opened them, looking up at him in confusion. She raised her head off the floorboards, trying to get up. He pushed her gently back down.

"No, no, don't move. Don't move. Stay where you are. I'll get Sully."

"What happened?" Michaela asked groggily as Sully helped her sit up.

"Sounds like ya fainted," Sully said, squatting beside her and holding her hand. "What's wrong? Ya feel sick?"

She pressed one hand to her brow. "No, just a little light-headed."

William brought over a glass of water and handed it to Sully. "Here you are, Michaela. Drink some of this."

Sully held the glass for her while she took a few sips of the cool water.

"How ya feel now? Better?" Sully asked worriedly.

She nodded. "I think I'm probably still quite anemic. I should try to increase the iron in my diet. And rest a bit more. Try to take it easy."

"Sounds like what I been sayin' all along," Sully replied. He sighed pensively. "I ain't gonna be able to get away until lunchtime. I could drive ya home then, that all right?"

"No, I don't need to go home," she protested. "I have half a dozen appointments this afternoon. I'll just take a nap upstairs. I'll be fine."

"Cancel those appointments. You're goin' home to rest," he replied resolutely.

"Sully's right," William spoke up. "You need to rest at home. At least for the day. I'll drive her back right now if you'd like, Sully."

Sully gave him a brief glance. "I'll take care of this."

"You said you can't take me home until lunchtime," Michaela said. "Besides, William can't work today anyway with that unstable ankle."

"I might as well make myself useful and drive Michaela and the baby home," William said.

Sully sighed deeply. He didn't like the idea of William interfering in their private lives, but it was more important to him that Michaela get back to the homestead as soon as possible where she could have a long rest. "All right, fine. Take our wagon," Sully murmured. He wrapped his arm securely around Michaela's waist and helped her slowly to her feet. "Easy now," he whispered. "Real easy. How ya feel?"

"Better," Michaela said, rubbing his arm reassuringly. "I won't do that again, I promise."

He smiled softly and gave her a gentle kiss. "Good, ya better not."

"I'll just bring the wagon around," William murmured, heading out the door.

Sully gave her a hug, caressing her head. "Told ya you were workin' too hard."

"Sully, don't be angry."

"I ain't angry," he replied. "Ya didn't mean it."

"Not that. At William driving me home. He cares about us, Sully. All of us."

"He thinks doin' this is gonna get him on my good side, it ain't," he muttered.

"Sully. That's not what he's doing. He's just being a good father-in-law, helping out his daughter-in-law."

"That how you see him? Your father-in-law?"

She swallowed hard. "Yes," she admitted. "At least, I'm beginning to."

"Fine. Good," he replied, breaking apart and heading for the door.

"Sully, please," she protested. "There's nothing wrong with trying to get to know him a little better."

"Ya always wanted your pa back," he replied, grabbing the doorframe. "Guess William is as close as you're gonna get. I’m happy for ya."

"Sully, please don't be like this." She sighed. "If this is going to upset you this much then I won't go home with him. Not if it means we're just going to fight about it endlessly afterward."

"Do what ya want," he replied, heading outside and walking back down the street.

William glanced at Michaela as he headed the wagon down the narrow road toward the homestead. She wrapped one hand around his upper arm and glanced down at the baby in the basket at her feet.

"Feeling better, Michaela?" he asked.

She smiled reassuringly. "Much better, thank you. Thank you for driving me home."

"My pleasure." He slapped the reins again. "I met your friend the other night. Dorothy."

"Oh, Dorothy. Yes, she's a close friend of ours."

He scratched his cheek. "She…she told me a bit about Sully. About his marriage to her young niece and what happened."

"Oh, Dorothy told you about Abigail?" she replied curiously.

"Yes, Abigail. Lovely name."

"I never met her. But she was a lovely girl from what I've been told," Michaela replied. She glanced at him. "William, Sully's been through a lot of tragedies. More than any one person should have to bear."

"Yes, I see that now," he murmured.

"I think it would be wonderful for him to have his father in his life, believe me I do. But unfortunately I don't know how realistic it is he's ever going to be all that receptive to this. He's afraid, William. Afraid of facing all that pain again."

"Yes, I see that now, too," he replied, swallowing hard. "Can't blame him, I reckon."

She squeezed his arm. "The children have been asking about you. They have a baseball game Saturday in the meadow. We'd love it if you'd join us."

He hesitated as he gazed out at the road.

"William, come to their baseball game. Come see your grandchildren."

He smiled at her softly. "All right, Michaela. I will."

Her smile suddenly fell and she hunched over, clutched her stomach with one hand and groaned.

He glanced at her, alarmed. "Michaela?"

She struggled to regain her composure, then suddenly doubled over all the more. "William," she choked.

He pulled back on the reins, stopping the wagon, and touched her back. "What is it? Are you in pain?"

"I think you should…you should take me to Dr. Cook's. He's at the Château. It's, um, the south road." She closed her eyes and held the arm of the wagon seat tightly.

"Yes, yes. I know the Château. Yes, just hold on. I'll have you there as quick as we can." He slapped the reins hard. "G'up! Hee-ya!"

William climbed down from the wagon and held his arms up for Michaela.

She shook her head tearfully, her arms wrapped around her belly. "I don't think I can." She was nearly panicking now, so frightened by the intense abdominal pain she was breathing quickly and sweating.

"I have you, lassie," he vowed. "Place your hands on my shoulders and we'll take it slow." She nervously grabbed onto his shoulders and he lifted her gently to the ground. "There we are," he said. "Now, do you think you can try to walk?"

She panted all the harder and held onto his shirt tightly.

He squeezed her shoulder and looked at her sternly. "Michaela? Michaela, take some slow breaths. It's going to be fine."

She tried to keep calm and trust him that it would be all right. William led her slowly to the clinic door and knocked on it as hard as he could.

"Doctor!" he called. "Doctor, we need your help!"

Andrew opened the door, a medical journal tucked under his arm. "What can I do for…Michaela! What's wrong?"

She doubled over again, nearly collapsing. William swept her up into his arms. "She fainted this morning. And now she's having pain," he explained.

Andrew quickly put the medical journal aside and opened the door wider. "Bring her inside. On the table."

William carried her in and laid her on the table while Andrew grabbed his stethoscope and followed him over. Michaela groaned as Andrew expertly felt her belly with both hands.

"Michaela? Can you talk to me? The postpartum bleeding, has it increased?" Andrew asked.

"Try to answer the doctor," William spoke up. "He's going to help."

"It's been a little heavier the past few days. A lot heavier last night," she replied breathlessly. "I keep passing blood clots. Large ones." She swallowed hard. "Andrew, I shouldn't be bleeding like this. I think I need a dilation and curettage. Oh, my God. Oh, God."

"All right. All right. Let's see what's happening first." He walked to his cabinet and opened it up. "Your placenta was very fragmented when you gave birth. It's possible there's still a small portion that's remained inside."

"What if we can't stop the bleeding?" she said fearfully.

"It'll stop. It'll stop," William whispered. "Take some deep breaths for me. There's a good girl."

Andrew walked back to his cabinet and found his stirrups. "Are you having trouble breathing?"

"No," she murmured tearfully. "The pain's just so overwhelming. It came on so suddenly."

"All right. Try to slow your breathing if you can. We don't want you hyperventilating."

"Slow and steady," William instructed.

"William, is it? Why don't you wait outside?" Andrew said. "I'm just going to do a quick exam and then we'll decide what to do."

"Take good care of her," he said. "That's my daughter-in-law."

"Yes. I will," Andrew replied.

"I'm sorry, Michaela. I don't see any other choice at this point," Andrew said as he dried his hands off on a towel.

Michaela clutched her belly and continued to pant as she looked up at him. The pain was as intense as ever and despite how much she wished it hadn't come to this, being put under and having the dilation and curettage procedure done seemed more and more necessary as each minute passed.

"Why don't I give you a dose of chloral hydrate?" he suggested as he walked to his medicine cabinet. "It'll help relax you."

She managed a nod as he stirred some medicine into a glass and brought it over to her. She drank it down quickly and then laid back.

"Then do I have your permission for this?" he asked.

"Yes," she said hoarsely. "Go ahead."

"It's going to work, Michaela," he said, patting her hand reassuringly. "You'll start feeling better very soon."

Andrew walked out of his office and shut the door. William was waiting anxiously on the bench outside, the baby in her basket beside him.

"I'm going to need to operate. Where's Sully?"

He stood up. "Still in town."

"We'll send one of Preston's employees to get him. In the meantime I'm going to go ahead and start. Michaela's given me permission."

"Is it serious, doctor?"

"Well, it could be if she doesn't have this done right away."

"William?" Michaela called from inside.

William anxiously took a step forward and looked inside. "Could I see her before you begin?"

He nodded. "Quickly."

He tentatively walked into the office. Michaela was on her back in a hospital gown, her legs strapped into stirrups and a tray of a variety of frightening instruments beside her. He tried not to show how anxious he was about the whole thing as she reached her hand up to hold his.

"William, tell Sully it's going to be fine. It's a routine procedure."

"Yes, of course it's going to be fine. Of course," he replied unsteadily.

"The baby. You'll watch her for me? Reassure her?"

"Yes, she's just outside. She's asleep."

She squeezed his hand. "Tell Sully I'll be all right."

"Yes, I'll tell him. Hush now. Don't talk." He smoothed her hair and gave her brow a gentle kiss. "I'll be waiting just outside, all right? I'll be just outside."

Sully galloped at full speed up to the Château clinic. He dismounted and ran up to William who was holding the baby.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Still in surgery," William replied.

Sully tore off his gloves and paced restlessly. "I knew somethin' was wrong. I knew this was gonna happen," he muttered.

"Michaela says not to worry. That it's routine."

He approached him and smoothed the baby's hair. "How's Eliza? How's she doin'?"

"She's fine. She's been sleeping the entire time."

"Mama's gonna be all right, sweet girl," Sully whispered, kissing her head. "She'll be all right." He took the baby from William and rubbed her back. "Dorothy's gonna pick up the kids from school, bring 'em out. Her ma, too."

"Oh, good."

Andrew opened the door, drying his hands on a towel. He glanced at Sully. "You're here. Good."

"How is she?"

"She's doing well. I'm sorry, I had to go ahead with the dilation and curettage without you. Michaela gave her consent."

"It's all right. Do what ya need to do. Did it help?"

"Yes, it looks like it. There was a significant amount of tissue that I removed. You should start noticing an improvement in the bleeding right away. I gave her some morphine. She can keep taking it as needed until the pain subsides."

"What about infection? Michaela was worried this kinda thing was gonna cause an infection."

"Well, I took all the precautions I could. Just watch her carefully for the next few days. But I think infection's unlikely. She'll be back on her feet in no time. In fact she could probably go home tonight if she continues like this." Andrew clutched his arm. "Sully, I know this isn't what she would have liked to see happen, but given the circumstances this is what she needed. There was just no avoiding it."

"Yeah, I know. Thank you, Andrew."

"You're welcome. Would you like to see her?"

"Yeah, sure." He handed the baby back to William and followed Andrew inside.

Michaela was closing her eyes tiredly and resting on Andrew's examination table. Her legs were still in stirrups and there was a basin with some bloody cloths on the table beside her that Sully tried not to look at. She was covered by a thin sheet and there was a trace of sweat across her brow.

He crouched over her and clutched her hand, giving it a gentle kiss. Michaela immediately opened her eyes.

"Hey. You're awake already," he said with relief. "Ya have a good sleep?"

"Wonderful," she muttered as Andrew began quietly gathering up his instruments and cleaning up from the procedure.

He smiled softly and gave her hand another kiss. "Ya look good."

"I didn't want that done," she said hoarsely.

"Yeah, I know. Andrew said it just wasn't somethin' that could be helped. How ya feel?"

She grimaced. "Like I was just kicked in the stomach."

"Andrew's got ya on morphine, all right? You'll start feelin' better soon. Says ya can even come home today."

"I'm sorry about all this, Sully." She sighed. "I just can't seem to get my body to cooperate."

"Shh, wasn't your fault," he whispered. For a brief moment he felt the same sense of doubt about having another baby that he had often experienced throughout Michaela's difficult pregnancy. Especially when she was in labor, crying out so fiercely and working so hard at times he didn't even recognize her, he had many moments where he outright wished they had never gotten pregnant. Even now that the baby was here, Michaela was still not fully recovered. It was difficult to watch her go through all of this and not be able to do much for her. And he felt responsible, given how much he had pressed her to have another baby after losing Jack. He had a feeling she never would have even considered it had he not brought it up.

Michaela suddenly burst into a big smile as she looked past him. He turned around to see what she was looking at. William was standing in the doorway cradling the sleepy baby.

"Oh, there she is. There's our little angel," Michaela whispered.

William smiled softly and carried her over. "This wee one wanted to give her mother a kiss." He lowered the baby to Michaela's level.

"Mama's here, sweetheart," Michaela whispered, puckering her lips and kissing her little cheek. "Mama's here. Don't worry. Don't worry. Grandpa has you. Grandpa will take good care of you."

"All right, time for you to get your rest," William said. "We'll wait outside."

She gave the baby one last kiss and then watched as William left the room.

Michaela seemed to nearly know what Sully was thinking. She squeezed his hand. "Sully, I'm so glad we did this. I'm so glad we had her," she whispered reassuringly. "She's so beautiful. She makes me so happy."

He felt a little better and wrapped his arm around her. "Yeah, me, too. Both of ya make me happy."

Sully helped Michaela carefully into bed and covered her up with the quilt from the end of their bed. He laid Eliza beside her and Michaela held the baby close, leaned back against her pillows and closed her eyes tiredly. It had taken quite some time to get her home, given how slowly and gingerly she had to walk, and Sully wondered if she should have spent the night at Andrew's clinic after all. But he knew she would recover a lot quicker if she were in the comfort of their own home.

Katie and Byron tucked the quilt securely around her and Red Eagle carefully poured a glass of water, placing it on the nightstand.

"Want a storybook, Mama?" Katie asked. "I'll read to you. Mama? Mommy?"

"Not right now, sweetheart," she whispered hoarsely.

"How about a warm cloth for your belly?" Sully suggested. "That might feel good."

Michaela was too exhausted to answer. She kept her eyes closed and just held onto a portion of the quilt.

"Come on, kids," Sully murmured. "Let's let Mama sleep."

"Why's Mama acting like that?" Byron asked as they filed into the hallway.

"It's all right. She's just real tired," Sully explained, leading them downstairs.

"Why did she get sick?" Katie asked worriedly.

He smoothed her hair. "Sometimes when ya have a baby ya get a tummy ache after. But Dr. Cook made it better and now she just needs to rest and she'll be good as new. Can we be real quiet for Mama the next couple days and let her sleep?"

"Don't worry. We'll be quiet, Pa," Red Eagle said.

Sully walked into the kitchen where Brian was wiping down the counters and Elizabeth was filling the tea kettle at the pump.

"How's she doing?" Elizabeth asked as she placed the kettle on the stove.

"Asleep."

"Poor thing. I suppose she would rather sleep than have this cup of tea."

"Yeah, probably. I already talked to Horace. He says I can have tomorrow off."

"That’s a good idea, Pa," Brian said. "I think Ma could use ya."

"And I'll be here all day as well," Elizabeth said. "We'll look after her together."

"I gotta pick up some supplies for my homestead tomorrow mornin', but I'll come by in the afternoon and help out," Brian offered.

"What about baseball practice, Papa?" Red Eagle asked.

Sully folded his arms. "I'm gonna have to cancel practice, son. I'm sorry."

"Cancel it!" Byron exclaimed in disgust. "No, you can't! Papa, we have a game on Saturday!"

"We'll be fine," he said, squeezing his shoulder. "We can do without one practice."

He stomped his foot. "It's no fair. This is all the baby's fault!"

"Byron, don't be ridiculous," Elizabeth scolded. "It's no one's fault, and certainly not your sister's."

He crossed his arms sourly. "Yes it is. All 'cause of her Mama's tummy hurts. Papa, you can't stay home! No!"

"Hey, maybe you should go on up to your room until ya can calm down," Sully said.

"No. I don't have to," he replied.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Elizabeth said. "Byron, don't talk back to your father."

"I'm not talkin' back," he retorted.

Sully pointed at the stairs. "You go upstairs right now and go to bed. You keep this up and you won't go to your game on Saturday at all."

Byron scowled and ran up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door.

Elizabeth shook her head. "My goodness, he reminds me of Michaela at that age! That attitude is identical."

"He's gonna have to learn we all have to work together and compromise, especially now," Sully replied.

"Precisely," Elizabeth replied.

"Maybe we could have the baseball practice on another day," Red Eagle spoke up quietly. "When Mama's feeling better."

Sully smiled softly. "Yeah, that's a good idea. You two wanna play some checkers before bed?"

"Yes, Papa," Katie said, grabbing his hand.

"Yeah, let's go," Red Eagle added.

Michaela was still sleeping soundly when Sully woke up at his usual early hour. The baby was nestled in her arms sound asleep as well. Sully turned down the covers, carefully held Michaela's left leg back and shifted up her nightgown with his other hand. The towel she was resting on was only a little damp with some light blood. It was not nearly as bright red as before and there were no sign of any blood clots. He reached across her for the bottle of carbolic acid and a cloth, dampened the cloth liberally and then gently washed between her legs.

Michaela quickly roused at the coolness of the carbolic acid. She groaned softly. "Sully, what are you doing?" she muttered.

He glanced up and wet the cloth again. "Andrew said we gotta check on the bleedin' real often and wash ya. Looks a lot better. Thought I would let ya sleep."

She glanced down, mortified. "Sully, for God's sake," she replied, quickly shifting her nightgown back down.

"What's wrong?"

"I can take care of this myself. Please, I'd prefer I do this from now on."

"Michaela, I don't mind," he replied. "I want to help."

She sighed. "Just give me a little dignity please. Now I know how my mother feels sometimes."

He shook his head in confusion. "Michaela, you're my wife."

"Well, wife or not I don't want you to see me like this, is that all right?"

"All right," he replied quietly. He handed her the cloth. "I'm sorry. Here, you can do it."

Her eyes welled with tears and she lowered her head and kissed the baby's cheek. "I'm sorry, Sully. I just feel so out of control right now."

"You're gonna start feelin' a lot better real soon," he said reassuringly. "You just need to get lots of rest, all right?"

"I'm so glad you're here supporting me," she murmured.

"Where else would I be?" he replied with a tender smile. He held her close and kissed her head. "Why don't you go back to sleep? It's still early."

She gave him a soft kiss and closed her eyes tiredly. "Thank you, Sully. For everything."

William cantered up to the homestead where Sully was outside chopping wood at the stump. He dismounted and limped over to him, holding a small bundle of wildflowers.

"Sully, good morning," he said as he approached him.

"Mornin'," Sully said, bringing his axe down hard on the log.

"How is she this morning?" he asked. "How's Michaela?"

"Doin' better."

"I brought her some flowers," he said. "I was hoping she would be up to visitors."

"She's not," he replied. "She's asleep."

"Oh," he murmured awkwardly. "Well, I'll come by another time." He glanced at the flowers. "Oh, could you give these to her? Send her my best."

"Yeah, sure," Sully replied, stepping forward and taking the bouquet for him.

William got back on his horse and silently rode out to the road.

Sully quietly placed the vase of flowers on the nightstand. Michaela awoke from her nap and slowly smiled at him.

"Oh, did you pick those?" she murmured. "They're beautiful."

"Ain't from me. William brought 'em by."

She glanced down at the baby sleeping beside her and lifted her into her arms. "William's here? I'd like to see him. Thank him."

"He left. Told him you weren't up to visitors."

She sat up a little more in bed, disconcerted. "Yes I am. I can have visitors. Especially William."

He sat beside her. "Just think we better keep things quiet right now, all right?"

She sighed, rubbing the baby's back. "How's his ankle at least? Feeling better? I thought I told him to stay off his feet."

"His ankle?" he murmured. "I didn't ask."

"Sully, you could have at least asked how he's doing," she scolded.

"Sorry, I'm a little too worried about you right now to think about his ankle," he said a little impatiently.

"Were you rude to him?" she asked astutely. "You were, weren't you? Sully, after the way he was there for me yesterday. Thank goodness he was. I don't know what I would have done without him. We owe him a debt of gratitude."

"Shoulda been me takin' care of ya. Never shoulda let ya go home with him."

She gently touched his hand. "Is that what's bothering you? Sully, we didn't know this was going to happen. And you came as soon as you could. You have no reason to feel guilty."

He stood. "From now on, I can take care of our family. We don't need his help."

"Sully, don't be stubborn," she replied.

"This ain't about bein' stubborn," he retorted. "I don't want him interferin' with you, our family, that's all. Way I see it this is none of his concern. He's done enough." With that he walked out of the room and shut the door.

Elizabeth leaned on her cane and walked into the sitting room where Michaela was just finishing the last bit of broth in a bowl. She was in her nightgown and bathrobe and had her feet up on the footstool, and the baby was asleep in her lap.

"Good, you ate all of that broth," Elizabeth remarked.

"Yes. It was good. Thank you."

Elizabeth picked up the tray and put it aside, then took a seat beside Michaela.

"Well, this rest will do you good. I think lots of rest in the beginning helps you recover more quickly. It may seem counterintuitive but you'll actually be back on your feet faster."

"Thank you for trying to see the positive," Michaela said. "I'm having a difficult time."

"Of course I see the positive. I'm basically a positive person," Elizabeth remarked as she picked up a reader resting on the table. "Whose is this? One of the children's?"

"That's Byron's. Oh, no, he forgot it. Teresa's not going to be happy." She heaved a sigh. "Sully told me about last night. I don't know what to do with him."

"Byron? Clearly he's just feeling a little jealous, that's all."

"I know. I feel so terrible," she replied.

"Oh, don't. It's normal. Your sisters were all very jealous of you when you were born of course. Though fortunately Byron doesn't seem quite as murderous as Marjorie and Claudette were."

"Murderous?" Michaela echoed with a soft chuckle. "They wanted to kill me?"

"No." She paused a moment. "At least, I don't think so."

"What did you do to help them not feel that way?" Michaela asked curiously.

"There wasn't a lot I could do. I just tried to give them as much attention as I could, let them know they weren't being replaced. And they got over it, in time. Well, some of them at least."

Michaela stroked the baby's arm pensively. "Perhaps he could study with me tonight. Just he and I. Give him some individual attention."

"Oh, Michaela, you're not up to that already," Elizabeth said. "No, Dr. Cook said you need to rest."

"I can do a little studying with him. That's not too arduous. Besides, he could come up to my bedroom. That way I could still rest in bed."

"Well, if you think it will help. Yes, perhaps that's a good idea."

"Good. Tonight then."

Byron cuddled up with Michaela and clutched his arithmetic primer. He closed his eyes and concentrated deeply. "Seven times four is twenty-eight. Seven times five is…thirty-five."

"Good," Michaela said.

"Seven times six is…" He opened his eyes and looked at the baby curled up asleep in Michaela's lap. He reached out to rub her hand.

"Byron, focus," she said gently. "Seven times six."

"Thirty-six?" he guessed.

"That's six times six," she said, heaving a soft sigh. "Seven times six is forty-two."

"Oh. Forty-two. Seven times seven is…" He closed his eyes again. "I can't remember, Mama. I forgot."

"Perhaps if you wrote them down, that would help you commit them to memory."

"I'll get my tablet," he said.

"Not tonight. It's getting late. You need to get to bed. You have baseball in the morning."

"But the test is Monday," he said. He looked up at her apprehensively. "What if I can't remember all of them for the test?"

"Well, you'll just do your best," she said, putting her arm around him. "The important thing is you're trying hard."

Sully opened the door with a cup of tea.

"I am trying, Mama," Byron whispered. "I wish I was smart like Katie. And you."

"Shh, of course you're smart," she admonished. "Just because you have to work a bit harder at some things doesn't make you any less smart." She drew him into a comforting hug. It seemed no matter what they tried Byron just couldn't get his multiplication tables straight. She felt helpless and very frustrated. And she had no idea how he was going to get through his upcoming test when he was still struggling to master the basics of multiplication. She thought about asking Teresa if he could take the test at a later date, but she didn't want Byron to feel he was being singled out.

"I let those dandelion leaves steep awhile," Sully said quietly as he handed Michaela the teacup.

"Good. They're supposed to be very good for postpartum women," she replied.

"What's that mean, Mama?" Byron asked.

She smoothed his hair and took a sip of the bitter tea. "Well, it means I just had a baby."

"Oh. You better rest a lot. Havin' a baby was pretty hard," Byron remarked.

"I think ya best listen to your son," Sully said wryly.

Byron giggled. "Yeah, you have to listen to me now, Mama. Papa said."

"Oh, really? All right, off to bed with you," she replied, leaning forward and kissing his lips. "I love you."

"I love you. Night," he replied, grabbing his book and heading out the door.

Michaela smiled at Sully and he grabbed her hand.

"See, I told ya he never stopped lovin' ya," he said.

She smiled wider as he shut the door. "I want to make a real effort to spend time with him individually. I think it'll help him adjust to the baby."

"Didn't sound like studyin' was goin' too good," he murmured.

Her face fell and she shook her head. "I'm beginning to wonder if Claudette was right. She said we should get him a tutor. Do you think perhaps Sarah might want to do it? She always did so well in school."

"Michaela, I wish we could. But we'd never be able to pay her what she deserves. Wouldn't be fair to her."

"I suppose you're right."

He sat on the bed. "You're doin' fine with him. He listens to ya, likes workin' with his mama. Ya work good together."

"When we don't lose our patience with each other, I suppose. I'm afraid I would have made a lousy teacher."

"But you'd be the prettiest teacher I ever met, that's for sure," he said, giving her a soft kiss. "Don't know how I'd ever learn my lessons with you in the classroom."

She smiled at him wryly, then she glanced down at the baby. "She hasn't nursed in hours. Do you think I should wake her up?"

He smoothed Eliza's hair pensively. "I don't know. Seems like she should sleep if she's tired, right?"

"She was on such a good schedule. Now suddenly she's as unpredictable as ever."

"She still not eatin' so good?" he asked.

"She certainly doesn't seem nearly as interested in nursing as she used to be. I don't know what to make of it."

"She's fine. She'll wake up when she gets hungry enough," he said.

She reluctantly nodded. "You'd better get some sleep. You've got some coaching to do tomorrow."

"And you got some cheerin'," he replied, giving her another kiss and then sitting down to pull off his boots.

"Ball two!" Loren shouted. Byron stepped back from the plate and took a practice swing. Elizabeth and William clapped their hands and Dorothy wrote in her notebook.

"Well done, Byron," Elizabeth called.

"Wait for your pitch," Sully said from his team bench, holding a clipboard.

Elizabeth smiled at William. "I'm so glad you could join us, William. What do you think of baseball so far?"

"It seems like a fun game," he said with a smile. "It reminds me of cricket."

"Cricket?" Dorothy questioned.

"It's a game I played in England as a boy. Though we never set up formal teams like these. I wish we had. I would have loved something like this when I was their age. England has their own cricket team and they travel all over the world."

"Cricket," Dorothy said. "Maybe you could tell me more about that sometime. I could write an article for the Gazette."

Byron connected with the ball, sending a high pop fly to center field, and raced off to first base as the crowd cheered. Michaela walked back toward the field and rejoined the spectators, taking a seat between her mother and William. She carried the baby in her sling and gazed down at her worriedly.

"Oh, Michaela. Byron's on first base," Dorothy said cheerfully.

"What's wrong, Michaela?" Elizabeth asked. "Are you feeling all right?"

"It's not me. It's the baby. I couldn’t get her to nurse very long," she said quietly. "She only took down a little."

"That's strange," Elizabeth replied. "She's always ravenous."

"Eliza all right?" William murmured.

Michaela lifted the baby out of the sling and rested her over her shoulder. "I'm not sure. She hasn't been feeding very well lately."

"Oh, maybe it's just a little catarrh going around," Dorothy said sensibly. "My little ones were always coming down with something."

"I'm sure that's all it is," she replied just as the last boy up to bat struck out and the game ended.

"Five to four," Elizabeth said. "We lost."

Sully jogged over to the spectators, the children behind him.

"Close one," Sully remarked.

"Did you see my hit, Mama?" Byron asked.

"Oh. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I missed it."

"Don't worry, Byron. I saw it. And so did William," Elizabeth told him.

"Oh, goodie. You saw it, Gran'pa?" Byron asked, grabbing his hand.

William took off his baseball cap and turned it backwards. "Every bit of it, son. You were a wonder."

"Thanks."

"She's not feeding well at all, Sully," Michaela whispered, turning the baby toward him. "She's acting so strange."

"Think she's losin' more weight?" he asked worriedly.

"She is," she replied. "I just weighed her again. She lost another two ounces."

"Maybe she just needs to settle down at home," he suggested. "Then she'll nurse a little better."

"Yes, let's head home," she replied.

Michaela laid Eliza in her cradle in the sitting room and rubbed her belly worriedly. The baby seemed a lot more interested in sleeping than nursing. She glanced at the clock, quickly calculating how long it had been since her last feeding. Almost five hours, which seemed like a very long stretch of time for an infant so young.

"Michaela, she's fine," Elizabeth spoke up from dining room table where she was working on sewing a button on Brian's vest for his wedding.

"Why isn't she eating as much?" Michaela asked softly as she joined everyone at the table.

"Babies habits change just like that," Elizabeth said. "No cause for worry."

Michaela rested her hand on Katie's shoulder. She was reading a book and the boys were playing checkers with Sully.

"It's past everyone's bedtime," she murmured.

"We're not done with our checker game," Byron protested, clutching a checker piece.

"We'll finish it tomorrow," Sully said. "You go on up. We'll come tuck ya in."

"Kiss your sister goodnight. Tell her you hope she gets better," Michaela instructed. She grabbed the empty coffee cups on the table as the children headed over to the cradle. "Sweethearts?"

"Yes, Mama?" Katie replied.

"Let's all say an extra prayer for her tonight, all right? Ask God to please help her start eating and gaining weight again."

"All right. We will," Red Eagle whispered.

Michaela brought the cups to the kitchen and Sully followed with the empty bowl of popcorn.

The children filed over to the cradle. Katie crouched down first, kissing the baby's head and cheeks.

"Get better. Get better, baby sister," she whispered.

"Get better soon," Red Eagle said, squatting beside her and kissing the baby's cheek. "I love you. Get better, baby Eliza. We'll say a prayer. A big one."

Byron just looked in the cradle a moment solemnly, then spun around and headed upstairs.

Red Eagle and Katie quickly followed after him.

"You didn't kiss the baby," Red Eagle said in disbelief as they headed up.

"I don't have to if I don't want to," Byron replied.

"Mama said to kiss her and tell her to get better," Katie added. "You didn't do what Mama said."

"I don't have to. And I don't have to say a prayer neither," he muttered as he reached his door.

Katie's mouth dropped open. "Byron! I'm telling Mama!" she exclaimed.

"She won't care. She just cares about Eliza." He opened his door and headed to the dresser to get his nightshift.

"Don't you….don't you like the baby?" Katie murmured.

"Nope," he said. "Hate her."

"Byron, you can't say that! It's mean!" Red Eagle protested.

He unbuttoned his shirt. "Go ahead and tell. See if Mama listens. She's too busy with Eliza."

Katie swallowed hard, then shared a glance with Red Eagle and silently headed for her bedroom.

Michaela pressed her stethoscope to Eliza's chest. She had the baby stripped down to her diaper and was examining her on the vanity. Sully was washing up at the basin and getting ready for bed. He dried his chest with a towel and joined her at the vanity.

"Her heart sound all right?"

"Yes, just fine." She put her stethoscope aside and then pressed her hands to the baby's abdomen, gently pushing down and carefully feeling her tiny organs for anything out of the ordinary. She straightened and sighed. "I can't find a thing wrong. Aside from the weight she's been losing she seems like a perfectly healthy infant to me. This doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it's her diaper rash," Sully suggested. "If she ain't feelin' good that might explain why she don't have much of an appetite these days."

"I suppose that could be. We have that meeting with Teresa tomorrow about Byron. Do you think we should cancel?"

"Teresa Slicker won't appreciate that."

She slipped the baby's nightshift over her head and threaded her little arms through the sleeves. "You're probably right. Perhaps I could leave her here with Mother. It would only be for a few hours. I'd prefer her with me, but I don't care to drag her into town and back when she's not feeling well."

He smoothed the baby's shift down over her back. "I think that's a good idea. She should stay here with your ma where she can rest." He lifted her off the vanity and cuddled her against his chest. "I'll rock her to sleep. You get changed."

Michaela kissed the baby's head. "Get well soon, Eliza. I'm sorry you don't feel well."

"Come on, let's go rock in the chair," Sully whispered lovingly. "You gotta get a good night's sleep so ya can start feelin' better, all right?"

Michaela watched the baby worriedly for a moment as Sully sat in the rocker with her, then turned to the mirror and began unbuttoning her blouse.